Roman Domestic Religion
THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF
PP257
House of Apollo (VI. vii. 23)
Cult Space Type:
Shrine
Date:
79 A.D.
Associated
Cult Spaces:
PP573
Structural type:
Altar, Niche, Wall Painting
Room function:
Culina/Kitchen
Description:
Located on the north wall of the kitchen was a shrine. It centred around an arched niche that sat 1.20m above the floor. The interior of the niche was coated in white stucco, with its corners outlined in broad red stripes. The niche had a projecting base. On the back wall, there was a depiction of a Genius holding a patera above a flaming altar. On each side of the opening of the niche was a Lar holding a rhyton and situla. Below the niche was a yellow and red serpent coiling towards a golden aflame altar decorated with a gorgon head. A rectangular panel of white stucco acted as the background for the niche, also bordered in red. On the ground in front of the painted altar was a real one constructed from tufa.
References:
Boyce 1937, p. 48 (#167); Giacobello 2008, p. 174 (#52)
Image reference:
Pompeii Sites 1932