
THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF
Roman Domestic Religion

HC055
VI. 17 (House of the Tuscan Colonnade)
Cult Space Type:
Cult Painting




Date:
79 A.D.
Features:
Wall painting
Associated
Cult Spaces:
HC033, HC034
Room Function:
Kitchen
Description:
Located in the kitchen was a cult painting. It was found in 1748 by the Bourbon tunnelling.This consisted of a depiction of Harpocrates standing beside a cylindrical altar. The diety could be seen with a lotus flower over his forehead and holding a branch. A serpent coiled around the altar, its head on the top where it is eating offerings of eggs. Beside the serpent were written the words "genius huius loci montis" which is where the understanding of the role of serpents in domestic religion has come from. Plants decorate the background, with the scene outlined by a dark border. It is important to note that the original location of this painting is uncertain, it has been argued that it came from VI. 17 due to cut marks found in the house during excavation that matched the painting (now in the Naples Archaeological Museum).
References:
Fröhlich 1991, p. 303; Pagano and Prisciandaro 2006, p. 205.
Image reference:
Herculaneum in Pictures (date unknown)