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

Schefold 1957, 38; Della Corte 1954, 243-244, #586-591; Pernice 1938, 39; Boyce 1937, 27, #47; Elia
NSc 1934, 271-275; Della Corte NSc 1933, 279-282; Della Corte NSc 1929, 456-460.
Data
A) Total area: 88.3 Nodes: 27.5 Connectors: 15.2 Static spaces: 47.5
B) Total # spaces: 11 # Nodes: 2 # Connectors: 3 # Static spaces: 6
C) Area, HE in (2): 2.5 Area, DI(6): 10.7 Length, DI◊(6): 3.30 Width, DI◊(6): 3.23
62. I.10.4+14-17, Casa del Menandro, casa grande
(Figs. 1.3, 1.8, 1.13, 1.22, 2.8, 2.13, 2.17, 2.26, 5.7, 5.162-5.165)
Synopsis
An exceptional wealth of information for cooking and dining from this house has been
documented by Allison. One large kitchen, KI (52), served the dining rooms around peristyle(c)
via a twisting long and narrow corridor (51, 53) (Fig. 2.8). Against the N wall of the kitchen was a
large combination ST comprised of a double-arched section of sub-type (2) on the W and a solid
masonry counter on the E (Fig. 2.26). Both parts of the ST had tiled surfaces, a back curb of
upright tiles against the walls, and traces of heavy burning on the tiled surface which Maiuri
noticed at the time of excavation and which are still visible. A drain was built into the SW corner,
near the latrine that occupied the W end of corridor (51). A lararium scene was painted on the W
wall of the kitchen. Only fragments of pottery were found, due to the extensive post-eruption
tunneling carried out here. Several other fixed and mobile cooking areas were scattered
throughout the house. An ash-filled bronze and iron BZ was located in the N portico of peristyle
garden (c), in the company of a bronze cooking pot (Fig. 1.13). This brazier was convenient for
any of the dining areas around the peristyle. Near the NW corner of atrium (41) (in the section of
the house assigned to the procurator and the slaves) was a low HE of sub-type (1), below an
arcuated niche-shrine (Figs. 2.13, 5.165). An iron tripod and several cooking pots were found
close by, in the doorway to court (44). In the SW corner of atrium (41) was located a bed/couch,
and a marble table on which were placed two bronze jugs and a casseruola (Fig. 1.3). A nearby
chest contained a cache of glass, bronze and ceramic storage wares, serving and drinking vessels,
and utensils. More items associated with cooking and eating were found against the W wall and
in the SE corner. A latrine occupied an alcove in room (45) perhaps used as a kitchen in an earlier
phase. The household servants probably used the HE and vessels to prepare meals for
themselves; they were given the space of this former independent atrium house at #17, that had
been bought up by the owner of the Casa del Menandro. Four upright hearths of sub-type (3)
were located in areas (3, 20, 54, 34) (Fig. 2.17). All of these hearths show signs of burning; a pile
of organic material (carbonized fuel) was found near the HE in (54). Besides non-diagnostic
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