Herculaneum: House of Neptune, Amphitrite and a Wine Bar

 This is going to be a long post but I encourage you to stick around...I think you'll find it worthwhile. This is the House of Neptune and Amphitrite, labeled House of the Neptune Mosaic on this map. On the streetside of this home is a shop, like many of the homes in Herculaneum. This wine and cereal shop is extremely well preserved with the original wine racks and vessels still in place! 2,000 years later!

 The roof is modern, but the wood racks and railings are all original. In this shop some of the foods were sold pre-cooked and ready to eat. Though most of the furnishings have now been removed, the shop was found in pristine condition, exactly as it was the day of the eruption.

 Note the completeness and pristine condition of this intact wooden grill. Simply amazing. The first photo taken of this shop was done by inserting my camera through the bars lining the front of the shop in order to snap the picture. But not this one, as you can see the bars in the photo.

 A large jug was found full of cereal. A coiled rope hung on a pin. A lantern hung on another hook. The stove was full of charcoal, ready to be lit. Beans and chick-peas were on the counter, on display and ready for purchase. It was as if time stood still for two thousand years. Given the size of the wine vessels found in this shop, the delivery list that was found, and Herculaneum's access to the sea it is likely that the owner shipped some or most of his product to other cities.

 I have not found description of what this object is. Perhaps the stove?

 From streetside, walking next door to the owner's dwelling and peeking in reveals this scene and it what now is calle the House of Neptune and Amphitrite, or Casa del Mosaico di Nettuno e di Anfitrite. It is a typical design, open to the sky at the center of the home and a catch basin in the center. A bronze statue of Jupiter and a bronze herma of Hercules were found in this area.

 I think the manhole cover is a modern addition...ha! Upstairs in a bedroom were found a wooden bed, an intact marble table, and a bronze candelabrum. Next door was found a latrine - an upstairs bathroom must have been quite a luxury.

 Now let's take a look into a sideroom. Some of the fresco survives, but not much. Same with the flooring. This is one of the earliest homes discovered by tunnelers centuries ago, and the damage they did is extensive. In one room was found a list of wine deliveries to be made. In another, a list of spelling words to be learned by some student.

 The roof appears reconstructed with modern lighting. What would the original owners have thought of that?

 And looking into the room at the back of the home yields this startling scene. We about jumped out of our skin! (If we had been paying attention, you can see this in the distance in the earlier photos of the basin). Superbly preserved tile mosaics cover the walls of this dining room. It comes across somewhat in photos, but it is absolutely stunning in person.

 Although this room is frequently called the summer dining room, I am somewhat confused as that seems inconsistent with the L-shaped basin in the center of the floor. I have also heard it called the "garden room", which seems more appropriate. Since the home lacked a backyard, this seems to be the owners attempt to add grandure to the interior.

Turning the camera to the left, we see this magnificent niche with most of the tilework still intact and a few figurines still resting on the very high mantel. The statue that would have resided in the center is missing.

 We spent a considerable amount of time standing in awe of this room. Groups of people would come up and almost faint, and we would back away to give them room to enjoy and photograph in semi-private, without us standing shoulder to shoulder. One kind young American male offered to take our photo here, the results of which are shown to the right.

 A close-up of the mosaic of Neptune and Amphitrite. Note the seashells that lined the edge of the scene.

 An even closer close-up. This house is named oddly as it mixes the Roman name (Neptune) for the male with the Greek name (Amphitrite) for his wife. Logically, the home should have been called Poseidon and Amphitrite (Greek versions) or Neptune and Salacia (Roman versions).

 Now let's take a closer look at the niches and the mosaics lining them.

 More use of seashells.

 Note the modern clear roof which allows the sunlight to filter in (originally this room was open) yet protects this fine room from weather damage. Nicely done, Italy.

 And finally, the figures atop the mantel.