Uthina on Gardens of the Roman Empire

House of Baklouti (Maison de Baklouti)

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

Dates

Unspecified

Garden Description

The peristyle garden enclosed by a portico on four sides had a long basin, which was concave at one end, and had semicircular and rectangular niches. It occupied the central axis of the garden. The bottom was paved with mosaic. The semicircular pool extending into the garden on the E side was also decorated with niches.

Plans

Fig.1: Plan of the House of Baklouti

Credit: (Baklouti, H., 1997, fig. 3).

Bibliography

Baklouti, H., "Une fouille à Uthina, rapport préliminaire", in Série REPPAL, Revue des Etudes Phéniciennes-Puniques et des Antiquités Libyques ques et des Antiquités Libyques, 1997, 10, p. 21, fig. 3, pp. 17-34. (worldcat)
Ben Hassen H. H., "Le parc archéologique d'Oudhna, antique Uthina (Tunisie)", in Bulletin de la Société Nationale des Antiquaires de France, 2001, 2006. pp. 225-238.(worldcat)
Bullo, S., Ghedini, F., Amplissimae atque ornatissimae domus: l'edilizia residenziale nelle città della Tunisia romana, Rome: Edizioni Quasar, 2003, p.333-334. (worldcat)

Keywords

House of Icarios (Maison d'Icarios)

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

Dates

2nd-3rd century CE

Garden Description

This richly decorated house is considered as one of the most remarkable domus of Africa (Plan view, Fig.1). Twenty-four Corinthian columns that may have reached 3m high, supported a portico on four sides. On the North, the South and the West, the peristyle is surrounded by rooms and apartments, some with their own colonnaded courtyards paved with mosaics (pseudo-atria). The Eastern portico, because of the declivity of the land was constructed on vaults. It probably opened on the exterior by a colonnade that allowed the visitor to admire the sea, the mountains and the valley of Oued Zaghouan. A small wooden fence enclosed the garden except in front of the vestibule and the oecus, from the vestibule one could traverse the garden and enter the oecus, without having to use the porticoes. At a later phase these entries were closed by a basin and cistern. The garden had in its center a rectangular basin, of which only the foundation was found.

Plans

Fig.1: Plan of the House of Icarios

Credit: (Gauckler, P., 1896, fig.1)

Bibliography

Ben Hassen, H., Maurin, L., Oudna (Uthina) La découverte d'une ville antique de Tunisie, Paris, 1998.(worldcat)
Ben Mansour, S., "Les mosaïques in situ de la maison d'Ikarios (dite des Laberii) à Uthina", in Africa 14, 1996, pp. 113-31.(worldcat)
Blanc-Bijon V. and Darmon J-P., "Proposition pour une lecture du programme iconographique de la maison d'Icarios d'Oudna (Tunisie)", in Bulletin de l'AIEMA, 12, 1988-1989, pp. 294-304.(worldcat)
Bullo, S., Ghedini, F., Amplissimae atque ornatissimae domus: l'edilizia residenziale nelle città della Tunisia romana, Rome: Edizioni Quasar, 2003, pp. 325-329. (worldcat)
Gauckler, P., "Le Domaine des Laberii à Uthina", in MonPiot, 2, 1896, p. 185, fig. 1, pp. 177-229.(worldcat)
Malek,A.-A., "Mosaic and nature : "Cultural allusions to Nature in the Roman Domus", in Gardens of the Roman Empire, Volume II, eds., W. F. Jashemski, K. Gleason, A-A Malek, K. Hartswick, Cambridge University Press., NY, 2018, pp. 317-340, pp. 326-329.(worldcat)
Tomei, D., "Ancora sulla Casa d'Ikarios a Oudna. Qualche spunto di riflessione", in Antenor, 3, 2002, pp. 63-88.(worldcar)

Keywords

House of Industrius (Maison d'Industrius)

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

Dates

Unspecified

Garden Description

Located to the Southeast of the amphitheater, this house was laid out around a peristyle garden of 10 columns that connected by a low wall. A semicircular basin extended into the garden on the NE facing the reception room.

Bibliography

Ben Hassen, H., Maurin, L., Oudna (Uthina) La découverte d'une ville antique de Tunisie, Paris, 1998.(worldcat)
Bullo, S., Ghedini, F., Amplissimae atque ornatissimae domus: l'edilizia residenziale nelle città della Tunisia romana, Rome: Edizioni Quasar, 2003, p.330-332. (worldcat)