KITCHENS AND DINING ROOMS AT POMPEII ... - Get a Free Blog

Gazetteer, part I: microanalysis
1. I.4.1-3, Casa + Popina, casa piccola + lunch counter
(Figs. 2.3, 5.2, 5.8, 5.24-5.25)
Synopsis
This small atrium house has an entrance vestibule at #2, a connected shop of uncertain
purpose at #1, and a connected lunch counter at #3. 17 The lunch counter has an L-shaped
serving counter revetted in marble, and three ceramic urns inset in its top surface. There is a
large window in its N wall that connects with the shop at (I.4.4), which the owner of this house
may have bought after blocking it off from the Casa del Citarista (I.4.5+25). Atrium (b) has a
stone-lined impluvium at its center next to a small HE (Fig. 5.24). Behind the atrium is tablinum
(c), with wide entrances at front and back. Cubiculum (d) lies to the S. To the N of both rooms
runs a narrow corridor (e) that connects the atrium to the back part of the house. At the end of
this corridor and largely behind tablinum (c) is a small garden court (f) with engaged brick
columns, four on both the W and E sides, and one on the S, adjacent to the entrance into the court
(Fig. 5.25). A well-head lies inside against the center of the W wall, and a tall rectangular niche is
set into the N wall. A window in the center of the E wall provides light for DR•(g) at the back of
the house. The S portico of court (f) leads to a masonry stair to the second floor, under which
there is a small space suitable for a pantry. Fiorelli reported that these stairs were used to reach
the kitchen as well as other upper-floor rooms, but no evidence exists to confirm this
hypothesis. 18
References
Jashemski 1993, 29; PPP I, 8-9; CTP IIIA, 8-9; Gassner 1986, 127; Evans 1978, 176; Della Corte NSc
1912, 336; Fiorelli 1875, 60; Fiorelli 1873, 65; Dwyer 1982, 79; Niccolini II, "Descr. Gen.", 79;
Minervini BAN (2), 65, 118; PAH II, 581-583, 586 (18 Ott. - 2 Nov., 2 Dic. 1853).
Data
A) Total area: 242.1 Nodes: 131.1 Connectors: 21.4 Static spaces: 92.5
B) Total # spaces: 14 # Nodes: 4 # Connectors: 4 # Static spaces: 4
C) Area, HE in (b): 2.5 Area, DR•(g): 25.8 Length, DR•(g): 6.48 Width, DR•(g): 3.98
D) Entry prox., HE in (b): 6.3 Entry prox., DR•(g): 27.0 Prox, HE in (b)-DR•(g): 19.2
E) Entry access., HE in (b): 4 Entry access., DR•(g): 8 Access, HE in (b)-DR•(g): 5
17 This shop appears on plans preceding the first official mention of excavation in this area in October of
1853, including a map of excavations up to 1827 made by Zahn (I, tav. IA; see Italienische Reise 1989, 383,
#166 for the map). See also CTP IIIA, 8.
18 Fiorelli 1873, 65: "viridario (f), che rinchiuso da otto colonne, tiene in fondo un triclinio finestrato (g), cui
sta accanto una scala per montare alla cucina, e forse pure ad altre stanze."
185