DRAFT

House of the Muses

Contributor: Yuming Huang
Published: 2021-04-21
Modified: 2025-09-16

Dates

2nd-3rd century CE

Garden Description

The house, noteworthy for its many and varied mosaic floors, is located on the right side of Oum El Abid river in a residential neighborhood. This vast domus is laid out around a peristyle onto which the rooms open. The courtyard (6.50 x 6.50 m) may have been planted (Plan view, Fig. 1). A long basin(euripus; 4.15 x 1.85; D. 0,72m.) was placed on the axis of the triclinium (G). Each end of the basin is curved to form a semi-circular pool.

The triclinium was bordered on two sides by two apartments that each had rooms and a corridor. The rooms to the north of the triclinium have an additional non-paved courtyard (L) enclosed by a colonnade closed by a balustrade. This lightwell may have been a small garden.

Plans

Fig. 1: Plan of the House of the Muses
Credit: (Merlin, A., 1913, pl. V)

Bibliography

  • Bullo, S., Ghedini, F., Amplissimae atque ornatissimae domus: l'edilizia residenziale nelle città della Tunisia romana, Rome: Edizioni Quasar, 2003, pp. 27-29. (worldcat)
  • Ennaifer, M., La cité d'Althiburos et l'édifice des Asclepieia, INA, Tunis, 1976, p. 64-70, plan II. (worldcat)
  • Merlin, A., Forum et maisons d'Althiburos, Notes et documents, VI, 1913, p. 39-45, plan pl. V. (worldcat)
  • Rebuffat, R., "Maisons à péristyle d'Afrique du Nord: répertoire de plans publiés". In: Mélanges d'archéologie et d'histoire, tome 81, n°2, 1969, p. 67, Althiburos 2. (worldcat)

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