Gardens of the Roman Empire

Casa del Rivievo di Telefo (Insula or. I.2-3)

Wed, 21 Apr 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Province

Location

Location Description

An ancient Roman town of Campania destroyed by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in A.D.79. Named as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.

Insula

Insula Orientalis I

House

House 2-3

Garden

Casa della Gemma (A)

Keywords

Garden Description

A. The excavation of this house in 1934-1936 revealed an unusual atrium arrangement, which Maiuri states is the first time the architectural scheme that is used in a peristyle was stylishly applied to the atrium. The atrium had no fauces, there were three columns on both the north and south sides, and on the west side there were two engaged columns with two freestanding columns between them forming the entrance and supporting the room above. A collection of marble oscilla was uncovered here, second only to the collection found in the House of the Golden Cupids in Pompeii. The tondi, peltae, and pinakes were hung between the columns against the background of glossy red walls. Various Dionysiac and theater themes, satyrs, maenads, Pan, theater masks, an amorino, a sea horse and a sea panther were the subjects featured on the oscilla. The impluvium was enclosed by a low wall with a planting space on the top providing a garden atmosphere to the atrium. A marble puteal was located on the west side of the impluvium.

Plans

Plan of the new excavations of Herculaneum (Maiuri, Herculaneum)

Herculaneum - insula orientalis I. 1-3-a

Images

Herculaneum - insula orientalis I. 2.3-1 (Stanley Jashemski, Jashemski Archives, University of Maryland)

Places

Dates

Unspecified

Bibliography

Maiuri, Herculaneum, pp.65-66 (worldcat)
Maiuri, Ercolano, pp. 347-352 and fig. 276 (plan) on p. 346 (worldcat)
Jashemski, Gardens, vol. 1, fig. 91 on p. 52 (worldcat)

Insula or. I.2-3(B)

Wed, 21 Apr 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Province

Location

Location Description

An ancient Roman town of Campania destroyed by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in A.D.79. Named as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.

Insula

Insula Orientalis I

House

House 2-3

Garden

Keywords

Garden Description

B. From the atrium the peristyle on the lower level was reached by way of a steeply sloping corridor. Stuccoed brick columns and a low wall 0.50 m. high enclosed the central area (b) and a large gutter collected water from the edges and conducted it to the cistern. A rectangular pool ca. 2.60 x 5.00 m. with the inside painted blue was located in the center of this area. At the rear of the pool an area paved with bipedales (tiles two feet long) covered the cellars below with an opening 1.70 x 2.20 to provide light. Jashemski noted that the paved and planted areas were reconstructed with a lattice fence between them, although she did not know of any evidence to support this interpretation.

Plans

Plan of the new excavations of Herculaneum (Maiuri, Herculaneum)

Herculaneum - insula orientalis I. 1-3-b

Images

Herculaneum - insula orientalis I. 2.3-2 (Stanley Jashemski, Jashemski Archives, University of Maryland)

Places

Dates

Unspecified

Bibliography

Maiuri, Herculaneum, pp.66-67 (worldcat)
Maiuri, Ercolano, p. 353 (worldcat)
Jashemski, Gardens, 1:50-51 and fig. 89 on p. 51 (worldcat)

Insula or. I.2-3(C)

Wed, 21 Apr 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Province

Location

Location Description

An ancient Roman town of Campania destroyed by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in A.D.79. Named as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.

Insula

Insula Orientalis I

House

House 2-3

Garden

Keywords

peristyles (Roman courtyards)AAT:300080971

Garden Description

C. There are five rooms south of the peristyle and on a lower level beyond them is another garden (c).

Plans

Plan of the new excavations of Herculaneum (Maiuri, Herculaneum)

Herculaneum - insula orientalis I. 1-3-c

Places

Dates

Unspecified

Bibliography

Maiuri, Ercolano, p. 353 (worldcat)

Insula or. I.2-3(D)

Wed, 21 Apr 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Province

Location

Location Description

An ancient Roman town of Campania destroyed by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in A.D.79. Named as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.

Insula

Insula Orientalis I

House

House 2-3

Garden

Keywords

Garden Description

D. A rustic shrine was attached to the north side of the house and a long narrow garden (d) was located here. There was evidence of earlier construction at this location.

Plans

Plan of the new excavations of Herculaneum (Maiuri, Herculaneum)

Herculaneum - insula orientalis I. 1-3-d

Places

Dates

Unspecified

Bibliography

Maiuri, Herculaneum, p. 67 (worldcat)
Maiuri, Ercolano, pp. 359, 360 (worldcat)