Fasti Online: Pistrinum V 3, 8

From FastiOnline, results of the 2010 campaign in V 3, 8:

L’edificio si affaccia sulla Via di Nola e occupa il settore sud-orientale dell’ insula. La fase più antica del complesso risale alla fine del III secolo a.C., come testimoniano alcune pareti in opera a telaio delle fauces, dell’atrio 11 e del viridarium 7. La definizione planimetrica della domus si realizza nella seconda metà del II secolo a.C. con l’edificazione di strutture in opus incertum di calcare e lava.

L’abitazione è riconducibile al tipo di casa ad atrio con impluvio centrale, tablino (10) e cubicula (3 e 4) affacciati sul lato orientale dell’atrio. Nella pars postica vengono realizzati il vano 6 e un piccolo ambiente (14) accessibile attraverso una stretta porta ad arco. Rimangono tracce dell’apparato decorativo parietale e pavimentale di primo Stile. L’edificio era dotato di un piano superiore raggiungibile dall’ambiente 9.

Tra il I secolo a.C. e la prima metà del I secolo d.C. il complesso è interessato da una serie di cambiamenti che determinano la trasformazione dell’abitazione in pistrinum. La planimetria dell’edificio rimane inalterata, ma negli ambienti già esistenti vengono realizzate nuove strutture collegate al ciclo della panificazione, che ne cambiano la destinazione funzionale. Nell’atrio, l’impluvio viene trasformato in una doppia vasca per il lavaggio del grano, e tre macine vengono poste su una base in muratura, circondata da un pavimento lastricato. L’ambiente 2, una bottega di pertinenza alla precedente domus, diviene il luogo per la lavorazione del pane: l’apertura sulla Via di Nola viene obliterata e all’interno vengono collocate una macchina impastatrice e un banco da lavoro. Il forno viene inserito nell’angolo sud-orientale dell’atrio.

Dopo il terremoto del 62 d.C. l’edificio viene ristrutturato nelle parti danneggiate, localizzate soprattutto nella pars postica. Al momento dell’eruzione del 79 d.C. erano in corso importanti operazioni di restauro di cui un’importante documentazione, come emerso nel corso delle campagne di scavo 2008 e 2009, rimane in particolare per l’ambiente 2.

More here.

Article: Via Consolare Project – 2007-2011 Field Seasons in Insula VII 6 (FOLD&R)

A new FOLD&R article:

Michael A. Anderson, Claire J. Weiss , Briece R. Edwards, Megan Gorman, Daniel Jackson, Richard Hobbs , Victoria Keitel, Clare O’Bryen, Stephanie Pearson, Erin Pitt, Aurora Tucker, "Via Consolare Project – 2007-2011 Field Seasons in Insula VII 6", FOLD&R, 247, 31 p., 2012.

Available on your browser or by download.

Fasti Online: Santuario della Fortuna Augusta

From FastiOnline, about 2011 campaign in the Temple of Fortuna Augusta:
L’étude du temple de Fortune Auguste et de ses annexes, entreprise en 2008, s’est poursuivie en avril/mai 2011, faisant intervenir une équipe de 24 personnes. La surface du podium a été fouillée sur la totalité de l’emprise du pronaos (secteur 6a) ainsi que sur deux quarts de la cella (secteur 6b sud-est et nord-ouest). Le sondage installé dans la cella en 1910 a été ré-ouvert et continué jusqu’au soubassement du temple (secteur 6c).
More here.

Fasti Online: Via consolare Project - 2011 campaign

From FastiOnline, results of the 2011 campaign of the Via Consolare Project:

In 2011, the Via Consolare Project continued excavation in the southern side of InsulaVII 6, 26 and VII 6, 27 to continue to clarify the nature of the ancient activities identified in previous field seasons and to finalise the sub-surface investigations initiated in 2008. The area of the eastern half of Archaeological Area 001, measuring roughly four by five metres, was reopened and backfill from the 2009 field season was removed. Stratigraphic excavation was then undertaken to the level of natural soils in the majority of this area, bringing subsurface examination in AA001 to a close. As a result, it is now possible to present a complete stratigraphic sequence for the southern rooms of properties 26 and 27, and to connect the associated chronology to the relative development of much of InsulaVII 6.
More here.

Fasti Online: Casa dei quattro stili (I 8, 11.17), Fulgur [conditum(?)]

From FastiOnline about the second campaign of excavation of the fulgur [conditum (?)] found by A. Maiuri in the garden of the Casa dei quattro stili (I 8, 11.17):

La campagne de mai 2011 avait pour objectif la poursuite de la fouille du fulgur conditum, repris à partir de la passe 19 jusqu’à la passe 37. La durée de la fouille, sur deux semaines, a permis de dégager la structure sur 70 cm de profondeur mais pas d’atteindre le fond de la fosse.
More here.

Fasti Online: Pompeii Archaeological Research Project: Porta Stabia (PARP:PS) 2010 campaign

From FastiOnline, about VIII 7, 1-15:

The 2010 season for the Pompeii Archaeological Research Project: Porta Stabia (PARP:PS) represented our sixth campaign of excavations during which three trenches were excavated across the extent of I.1.1-10. This expansion – both spatially and conceptually – to include insula I.1 on the eastern side of the via Stabiana proved an important development for the project. The generous invitation of the Soprintendenza Archeologica di Pompei to include insula I.1 in our research facilitates a yet more comprehensive and detailed analysis of an entire Pompeian neighbourhood.

More here.

Fasti Online interim reports: Pistrina: les boulangeries de l'Italie romaine

Two new interim reports from the Pistrina: les boulangeries de l'Italie romaine project are available on Fasti Online:

Panificio I 12, 1-2

Panificio VII 1, 25.46-47

Fasti Online: Restaurant and wine production (V 4, 6-8); House V 3, 10

About the so-called "thermopolium" V 4, 6-8, excavated by Ca'Foscari University:

• L’allestimento degli spazi interni (tre ampi vani quadrangolari comunicanti tra loro – 1, 2, 3 -, replicati da una seconda fila di ambienti paralleli – A, B, C – ) si adatta alla natura commerciale dell’edificio. Tale articolazione risponde probabilmente allo scopo di ricavare un settore riservato ai clienti, sviluppato anche in un vano superiore (raggiungibile dall’ ambulacrum B). Come in altri edifici sulla via di Nola, la presenza di catene litiche e blocchi di calcare del Sarno – tracce di un antico apprestamento in opera a telaio – è da attribuire alla prima lottizzazione dell’ insula V,4 all’inizio della seconda età sannitica. Un accesso dal vicolo dei Gladiatori (8) è stato ricavato nella fase post 62 d.C. e immette nella zona produttiva. La pars postica è incentrata sugli ambienti di produzione e di stoccaggio di cibi e bevande (more here ; more on this workshop in MEFRA, 120, 1, 2008, p. 236-241, available on Torrossa.it).

About house V 3, 10, also excavated by Ca' Foscari University:

• La costruzione dell’edificio prende avvio all’inizio del II sec. a.C. su un terreno non ancora interamente occupato. La fase II (prima metà II sec. a.C.) vede la costruzione dei perimetrali e di alcuni ambienti in opus incertum in calcare, talvolta con l’inserimento di lava. La casa risulta divisa in una parte di rappresentanza con atrio (A) e tablino (H+M) e in una parte privata con gli ambienti occidentali (O ed I+L) e meridionali (G+E+F e N). Non si può dire se fosse già presente un piano superiore. Gli interventi della fase III (fine II sec. a.C.), utilizzando prevalentemente lava, preannunciano l’inizio di un processo di contrazione della superficie planimetrica. Nella fase IV (I sec. a.C.) vengono innalzate o ristrutturate strutture con materiali e tecniche differenti, cambiati i percorsi interni, modificate le funzioni di alcuni ambienti e apportata una decorazione parietale e pavimentale di secondo Stile. Dalla divisione del precedente tablino H+M si creano: un nuovo tablino/corridoio H, l’apotheca M e l’ambulacrum L porticato (aperto sul viridarium I e sul triclinio N). Nella zona meridionale il grande vano G+E+F viene diviso in anticamera (G) e cucina (E+F) (more here).

Fasti Online: Casa del Granduca Michele (VI 5,5 - 2011)

Excavation report of the eighth campaign in the Casa del Granduca Michele.

Tale indagine si pone a conclusione di una ricerca iniziata nel 2003 che ha permesso di documentare le fasi di vita più antiche di un’abitazione risalente agli ultimi decenni del III sec. a.C. Grazie a otto campagne di scavo, a venti saggi eseguiti all’interno della domus e ad altri cinque effettuati sulle strade che la fiancheggiano, è stato possibile ricostruire la storia edilizia di quest’abitazione. Di particolare interesse, risulta la ricostruzione pressoché totale dell’organizzazione planimetrica e della decorazione della sua fase più antica.
More here.

Fasti Online: Pompeii Archaeological Research Project

One of a new series for Fasti Online by the American Institute for Roman Culture.

Fasti article: Insula IX.3 di Marco Lucrezio

Just out on the Fasti Online:

Eeva-Maria Viitane, Insula IX.3 di Marco Lucrezio (2011)

In 2010 work was continued in the west part of the insula, in houses IX 3,3 through to house IX 3,13. As in 2009, the work concentrated on buildings archaeological analysis and documentation of the visible structures and no excavation was carried out apart from cleaning floor levels of modern soil layers. In addition to this, the documentation of the remaining wall paintings was continued and work on analyzing fragments of wall paintings from 2003–2006 excavations was continued.

Majority of the houses studies are shops or combinations of shops, workshops and living quarters. The only house with a clear function was the bakery IX 3,10-12 in the southwest corner of the insula. Based on analysis of the building techniques (brick, small stone blocks) and materials (travertine with plenty of mixed stones and brick), most of the western insula has been rebuilt relatively late in the history of Pompeii. Some of the walls had been rebuilt using the old wall line as a foundation. Clearance at floor level revealed some previously unknown water installations, e.g., cisterns in houses IX 3,3 and IX 3,7. In addition, it was discovered that some of the previously known cisterns, such as the ones in houses IX 3,8 and IX 3,13 were out of use and filled with household waste or soil. So far, no functioning impluvium –cistern combinations have been found in the insula. The functions of the houses could not usually be clarified based on this field work, but in two cases (houses IX 3,8 and IX 3,13) the old interpretation of the commercial food production was strengthened.

Fasti article: Regio VII, 6, 3. Casa della Diana Arcaizzante

See Fasti Online for the following article:

José M. Luzón, 2011, Regio VII, 6, 3. Casa della Diana Arcaizzante

The Casa della Diana Arcaizzante is one of the six houses constituting insula VII, 6 (3.200 m2). In 2007 work on the study of domus VII 6,3 began. The house had been excavated for the first time between 1760-1761 by the military engineer Karl Weber, on the orders of Roque J. Alcubierre. The discovery in the viridarium of a marble statue of Diana in an archaic style (MNN nº 6008) gave the name to this domus.
Following the 18th century excavations the area was partially back-filled and re-excavated in 1909 by Giuseppe Spano. In 1943, as a consequence of the bombing on Pompeii, it suffered substantial damage. For this reason, and despite the fact that it stands in the centre of the town, behind the forum, it has remained invisible both to visitors and researchers, buried below the collapse of the insula structures. All of these events have created a problematic situation which has been worked on since 2007.
The work undertaken in the house is as follows:
1. Cleaning and excavation of the floor levels (79 A.D.).
2. Virtual reconstruction of the house using 3D scanning.
3. Documentation and study of the objects found in the house, both during the 18th-20th century and contemporary excavations.
4. Documentation and study of the construction sequence.
5. Excavation of trenches in order to propose a chronological sequence which can explain the characteristics of the urban development in this area.
The excavations so far have documented the house’s water supply system and floor levels, observing the existence of several decorative floors (mosaic, signina pavimenta, sectilia pavimenta ) and of an impluvium in the Tuscan atrium. The residential complex is a centuries-old structure gradually transformed from its creation until 79 A.D. The most substantial restructuring occurred during the transition between the 1st century B.C. and 1st century A.D., when the original house was divided into two parts (VII, 6, 3 – VII, 6, 38). At the same time the house was enlarged by the construction of a large cellar housing the kitchen and a latrine. This period also saw the restoration of the ornamental scheme in the house and of the viridarium where the Diana was found.
Numerous fragments of architectural terracottas from the roof and stucco from the ceilings and walls were found: painted dentil cornices, eaves cymas, terracotta drips in the form of theatrical masks or silenoi, facing plaques with palmette decoration and a fragment from an acroterion disc similar to those found in the area of the Doric temple in the Triangular Forum. Many fragments of painted and relief stucco were recovered which has made it possible to reconstruct the decorative motifs in several of the rooms in the domus.
The study of the Casa della Diana Arcaizzante is part of a research project regarding the archaeological activities of the Bourbon kings Charles III and Ferdinand IV in the Vesuvian area in the 1700s.

Fasti article: Panificio VII 1, 25.46-47

Published on FastiOnline:

Nicolas Monteix (2011), Panificio VII 1, 25.46-47

The main objective of the “Pistrina – ricerca sui panifici dell’Italia romana” project is to define, on the basis of the archaeological evidence, the chronology of the transition from domestic to commercial baking, following the technical developments, in particular those of the oven and the organisation of the productive spaces.

During this campaign the investigation of the abandoned bakery in the domus Sirici (VII, 25.46-47) began, in particular the part which originally housed the millstones. In fact, at the time of the eruption the bakery of this large house had been dismantled and was partially occupied by a large room opening onto the main atrium of the house. The paving of basoli and the oven, which in 79 A.D. was probably no longer in use, are preserved.

The investigations concentrated on the interior of two negative impressions left in the basoli by the millstones and in front of the oven itself with the aim of defining the dating for the dismantling of the bakery.

The most significant results emerged from the excavation in the negative of the eastern millstone. In fact, as well as revealing the construction sequence for the installation of the millstone itself and of the basalt floor, the geological stratigraphy was reached at about 27 m a.s.l. where an opus signinum structure on a mortar make up (visible thickness about 0.80 m, length about 1.50 m) appeared. It was built directly on natural and, despite its irregular profile, traced a north-south line forming a corner of about 34° with the room’s south wall. The creation of the bakery had substantially cut into this structure which, on the basis of its construction characteristics, is interpreted as a foundation. Its alignment suggests that the area’s spatial organisation was very different from that surviving today. The small surface area of the trench cannot, for the moment, provide further data for a correct interpretation which it is hoped to clarify in future campaigns.

A second trench was put into the negative of the western millstone. At this point the situation was compromised by two interventions. In fact, the construction of the north-eastern corner of the large room opening onto the atrium of the domus Sirici stood in this position. It was built following the earthquake of 62 A.D. and thus provides a useful terminus ante quem for the bakery’s abandonment. At the same point the excavation revealed evidence of work undertaken at a time post-dating the building of this room, connected with the laying of a lead fistula for the provision of water to a basin situated slightly to the north.

This further intervention thus provides data regarding at least two phases of the post-earthquake period of the domus and the bakery.

Lastly, in front of the oven, the excavation was limited, for the moment to the removal of ash residue and lapilli from the 79 A.D. eruption not cut by the modern excavation. Whilst awaiting the precise chronology with dating from the pottery evidence it can be stated that various phases, both earlier and later than the installation of the bakery, were observed.

Fasti article: The 2010 Field Season at I.1.1-10, Pompeii: Preliminary report on the excavations

Just out on the FastiOnline:

Steven J.R. Ellis, Allison L.C. Emmerson , Amanda K. Pavlick, Kevin Dicus (2011). The 2010 Field Season at I.1.1-10, Pompeii: Preliminary report on the excavations. FOLD&R: 220.

Fasti article: The 2010 Season of the Pompeii Quadriporticus Project: The Western Side

Just out on FastiOnline:

Eric E. Poehler , Steven J.R. Ellis. 2011. The 2010 Season of the Pompeii Quadriporticus Project: The Western Side. FOLD&R: 218. 

The Pompeii Quadriporticus Project (PQP) is a new archaeological and architectural research project that is designed to conduct the definitive study of one of the largest and most important monumental buildings in the World Heritage site of Pompeii, Italy. Combining cutting edge scanning technologies with an exhaustive examination of the physical fabric of the poorly-understood Quadriporticus, and incorporating the results from the excavated remains of its easternmost borders (Pompeii Archaeological Research Project: Porta Stabia), the PQP is putting this long ignored monument back into its archictural and urban contexts.

Fasti Reports

Here is a list of excavation reports from Pompeii published on Fasti Online since it began in 2000. It's interesting to see both HOW MUCH work has taken place at Pompeii, and WHERE it has taken place - predominantly in Regions VI, VII and IX, but nothing in Regions II and III, and little in Regions I and VIII. Presumably this has something to do with the state of preservation of these parts of the site (I suppose you could argue that Regions I and II are well preserved, but all that modern cement makes things difficult ...), but I'd be interested to know if anyone else has a theory about this.

It's also remarkable that all of this data should be on-line and available to everyone, even though the final  publications of many of these excavations/projects have not yet appeared. So a big thank you to everyone who has published their work on Fasti Online, and a big thank you to the people at Fasti Online too!

NB. Everyone should know that publishing field reports on Fasti Online has recently become a condition for getting a permit to work at Pompeii. If you don't publish a report on each year's work, you won't get a permit to continue that work in future years.

Public buildings, streets, gates, villas and necropoli:
Forum and here
Pompeii Archaeological Research Project: Porta Stabia
Porta Capua
Necropoli di Porta Nocera
Area B Sud Porta Nocera
Le Terme Centrali
Bars with marble surfaces at Pompeii: evidence for sub-elite marble use
Temple of Venus and here
Regiones III - IX 
Via degli Augustali - Macellum
Villa delle Colonne a mosaico
Sanctuario della Fortuna Augusta
Viccolo della Fullonica

Region I
Casa dei Quattro Stili I.8.17 (wrong name in Fasti!) 
Panificio I.12.1 - 2

Region V
Casa di Caecilius Jucundus
Regio V, insula 3 (Casa della soffitta, V.3.3 - 4; Pistrinum, V.3.8)

V.3 and 4
Vicolo di Marcus Lucretius Fronto V.4
Regio V.5 (Casa dei Gladiatori) and here

Region VI
Regio VI, Vicus di Modesto. Saggio A
Regio VI, Vicus di Modesto. Saggio B
Regio VI, Insula 2, Aggere
Casa di Sallustio (VI.2.2 - 4)
Casa delle Amazzoni, VI.2.14
Casa di Narcisso, Regio VI.2.16 - 21
Stabulum (Casa dell' Esedra) VI.2.18 - 19
Casa di Iside, Regio VI.2.17 - 20, amb. 15 e 16
Casa di Iside Regio VI.2.17 - 20 Progetto Regio VI

Casa del Fauno
Vicolo del Fauno. Saggio 1
Vicolo del Fauno. Saggio 2 
Vicolo del Fauno VI.5.5
Casa del Granduca Michele VI.5.5
Regio VI.5.7 
Casa dei Fiori, Regio VI.5.9 - 10, 19
House VI.8.20 - 21.2
Regio VI.9.3 - 5
VI.11.4
VI.14.21 - 22
Regio VI.14.39 - 40
Taberna VI.15
VI.17 (ins. Oc.). 41 

Region VII
Regio VII Insula 2 pars occidentalis
Shop VII.2.41
Regio VII, Insula 3
Casa di Arianna (VII.4.31 - 51)
VII.6.5
Panificio VII.12.13
VII.14
Casa del Marinaio VII.15.1 - 2 

Regio VII.15.3
Regio VII. 15.6
Regio VII.15.8
Casa di Marco Fabio Rufo VII.16 

Region VIII
Sacello VIII.4.24
VIII.6.5
  
Region IX
Regio IX
Casa du M. Epidio Sabino (IX.1.29)
IX.3
Panificio IX.3.19 - 20

Domus IX.7.18
Domus IX.7.21
Domus IX.7.26
Insula dei Casti Amanti (IX.12)
Casa dei Casti Amanti

Casa di Marcus Lucretius 

Other sites
Piana del Sarno
Cava Ranieri
Via Galatina, prop. De Rosa
Casa dell'Atrio a Mosaico, Ercolano
Longola
Ercolano
Rione Terra
Punta Calcarella - localita Pignatella