Roman Domestic Religion
THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF
PP575
VII, ii, 45 (House of the Bear)
Cult Space Type:
Shrine
Date:
79 A.D.
Associated
Cult Spaces:
Structural type:
Aediucla, Nymphaeum, Niche
Room function:
Viridarium/Garden
Description:
Against the northern wall of the garden was a nymphaeum. This took the form of a large aedicula structure with a vaulted niche on its southern face. The entire structure was decorated in glass tessarae and shell. The decoration included large panels such as the central panel of ducks and fish on the rear wall of the niche with Neptune holding a trident in the centre. In the vault of the niche was a half naked Venus lying in a shell. On the façade, flanking either side of the niche, were two small mosiac masks, and two cupids holding reeds and a sceptre. A tailed figure was present in the centre of the tympanum. Shells were used to outline the different sections of mosaic decoration. In front of the structure was a small rectangular pool, which was painted blue on its interior.
Includes depiction of Neptune and Venus and fish and ducks.
References:
Creola 2014, pp. 13, 24; Photographs from Pompeii in Pictures, 2018.
Image reference: