Herculaneum II.1. Casa di Aristide or House of Aristides and Access bridge.
According to Guidobaldi and Esposito, in the early 1700’s, the private excavations by the Prince d’Elboeuf started by chance at the site of the Theatre.
In 1738, under King Charles of Bourbon, the official exploration of the city began, using underground tunnels. The system used was one similar to mining techniques in which vertical shafts were dug until the level of the ancient structures were reached. The workers then descended by ropes, a winch was used to lower the ropes, and this was also used to raise objects back to the surface. Then the diggers excavated horizontal tunnels, without a proper plan. When rich finds were encountered the area around the tunnels was expanded, those already explored were then backfilled with the debris from the excavation of the new passages.
In 1780 the excavations at Herculaneum were discontinued, in favour of those at Pompeii.
In 1828, under the reign of Francis I of Bourbon, the first open-air excavations were begun at Herculaneum. These continued, on and off, until 1875.
The area of the city that had been brought to light consisted of a short stretch of the road now known as Cardo III, Insulae II and VII on its west, and Insulae III and part of VI, on its east.
(According to Pesando and Guidobaldi, the small portion of the isolated block of Insula II to come to light coincided entirely with the first open air excavations carried out between 1828 and 1855.
See Pesando, F. and Guidobaldi, M.P. (2006). Pompei, Oplontis, Ercolano, Stabiae. Editori Laterza, (p.313)).
Maiuri’s new excavations began in April 1927 and were officially inaugurated on May 16 by the King of Italy, Victor Emmanuel III.
This enormous undertaking continued until 1960, but by 1942 almost the entire area of the present archaeological site had already been excavated, restored in situ and opened to the public.
Between 1960 and 1969, further work was carried out on the northern part of Insula VI and Decumanus Maximus, unearthing the House of Tuscan Colonnade, the College of the Augustales, and the atrium sector of the House of the Black Salon, of which Maiuri had excavated only the rear section, which was centred on the peristyle.
Since the 1980’s the ancient shoreline, coinciding with the southern side of the archaeological site, has been explored leading to the discovery of the boat-houses, the skeletons of the victims, the large wooden boat and the collapsed portico (pronaos) of the Temple of Venus (Sacellum B). The resin casts of the skeletons found in the boathouses, finally placed in situ at the end of 2011, now give visitors a vivid image of the last, painful moments of their lives.
During 1996-8, open-air excavations, the so-called Scavi Nuovi, were carried out in the area of the Villa of Papyri and the so-called Northwest Insula.
2002-4 environmental renovations were carried out here, and in 2007-8 additional excavations and partial conservation work was carried out, which clarified the plan of the ancient city, comprising the Villa of the Papyri, the thermal bathhouse of the Northwest Insula, and the imposing residential complex of Insula I, which has become known as the House of the Dionysian Reliefs based upon its decoration.
See Guidobaldi, M.P. and Esposito, D. (2013). Herculaneum: Art of the Buried City. U.S.A, Abbeville Press, (p.21-26).
Herculaneum,
April 2018. Looking north at west side of site. The access footbridge, on the
left, leads onto the roadway Cardo III.
Photo
courtesy of Ian Lycett-King. Use is subject to Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
License v.4 International.
Herculaneum,
photo taken between October 2014 and November 2019.
The access footbridge, on the left, leads onto the roadway Cardo III. Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella.
Herculaneum. Entrance footbridge, at south-west side of entrance roadway.
This bridge used to lead onto the terrace of the House of the Albergo (Ins.III.1), whereas now it leads to the lower end of Cardo III Inferiore.
Herculaneum, June 2011.
Looking north across access bridge towards roadway known as Cardo III Inferiore. Photo courtesy of Sera Baker.
Herculaneum, photo taken between October 2014 and November 2019.
Looking north
across access bridge towards Cardo III, with Ins. II on left, and Ins. III on
right. Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella.
Herculaneum, September 2015.
Looking north across access bridge towards roadway known as Cardo III Inferiore. Ins. II can be seen on the left.
Herculaneum, September 2015. Looking north from access bridge towards Cardo III.
Herculaneum, June 2012. Looking south across access bridge, with II.1 Casa di Aristide, on the right.
On the left is III.1 Casa dell’Albergo. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.
Ins II.1. Casa di Aristide or House of Aristides.
In January 1828, excavation work started on the Casa d’Argo.
In 1829-1831, the excavation of the Casa d’Argo was completed, then the Casa di Aristide and the Casa del Genio were excavated, and the Casa dello Scheletro was started.
See Maiuri, Amedeo, (2008): Cronache degli scavi di Ercolano, 1927-1961, forward & introduction by Mario Capasso. Italy, Sorrento, Franco Di Mauro Editore, (p.45-53).
According to Guidobaldi – “The conventional name of this house derived from a statue recuperated from the Villa of the Papyri, wrongly identified with Aristide and brought to the surface by the Bourbon excavators following the tunnel opening that crossed this house”.
“A stairway accessible from the atrium and an external ramp leads to a lower level with service rooms, where in Bourbon times, some skeletons of fugitives were found”.
See Guidobaldi, M.P. (2009). Ercolano, guida agli scavi. Electa Napoli, (p.54).
In 1870, Pagano
wrote – “Outside of the entrance doorway are the
columns that held the roof, with a bench of masonry on the right. The same roof
extended towards the left side, forming a covered passageway to go down to the
warehouses below, which remain in the lower part of the roadway, and to lead to
the level of the sea, which in ancient times reached to the city, but which
today has retreated a lot.
Entering the atrium, the impluvium is
seen in the middle to collect rainwater, and a cistern mouth in white marble,
to draw the water.
On the left there is a small staircase
by which you could also descend from the inside of the house into the
warehouses below. The other door following on the same side, which has two
steps of travertine, gave access to small internal rooms, perhaps for the use
of the kitchen and its vicinity, but today they present no interest, being
completely without decorations. There then follows another door with three
steps leading onto a large terrace.
Facing/in front, also mounting two
steps, you pass to the inner rooms of the house, and after a second atrium you
have on the left a large reception room, which today is completely free of
decorations.
(Note: this next room can be found in
II.2, the House of Argus).
Then follows another great room with
white mosaic, decorated with beautiful paintings in the two walls which remain.
On large blue and red background panels there were three paintings: the first
on the right has the view of a fortress, and in the foreground was a Satyr in
the act of reasoning with a Nymph. The second on the other wall was completely
destroyed. The third also barely discernible, represents the Punishment of
Dirce, which is the same subject of the large group in marble existing at the
museum, known as Toro Farnese. Between the one picture and the other, we see
graceful painted architectural perspectives.
Behind this room, there are others,
amongst which there are some which deserve attention, but which are currently
re-covered to better preserve them.
Passing onto the terrace that is on the
left, one descends by means of a staircase to a small chapel used for
worshipping, which has its altar in the middle, and found here were several
bronze idols. Also interesting was the room that is to the right of the chapel,
which still retained a part of its ancient vault worked with coloured stucco. The
last locality to be observed are the warehouses, which remain in the lower part
of the excavation”.
See Pagano, N.
(1870). Descrizione degli scavi di Ercolano. (p.26-29)
Herculaneum, September 2015. Looking north-west across access bridge towards Ins. II.
II.1 Herculaneum, October 2023. Looking
north-west towards Casa di Aristide from access bridge. Photo
courtesy of Klaus Heese.
II.1 Herculaneum, September 2015.
Windows overlooking beachfront from lower floors of Casa di Aristide. Looking north-west from access bridge.
According to Maiuri, little remains that is intelligible of the original plan of the building as so many underground passages were cut across it by the Bourbons, and because of the restorations made at the time.
The atrium, and the rear of the house were constructed on the brow of the hill, all the rest which projected outwards over the lowest and steepest slope of the promontory was supported upon robust vaulted constructions that form a powerful supporting bastion with concrete walls, sometimes three metres thick, faced externally with brick and internally with opus reticulatum.
II.1 Herculaneum, October 2023.
Windows at west end from lower floors of
Casa di Aristide, overlooking beachfront. Photo
courtesy of Klaus Heese.
II.1 Herculaneum, October 2023.
Windows at east end
from lower floors of Casa di Aristide, overlooking beachfront. Photo
courtesy of Klaus Heese.
Herculaneum, October 2023.
Looking east through Bourbon tunnel
towards Insula II.1 and beachfront. Photo courtesy of Johannes Eber.
II.1 Herculaneum, on right. October 2023. Looking west from
access bridge. Photo
courtesy of Klaus Heese.
II.1 Herculaneum, on right. Photo taken between October 2014 and November 2019.
Looking west from
access bridge. Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella.
II.1 Herculaneum, on right. May 2001. Looking west from
access bridge. Photo
courtesy of Current Archaeology.
II.1 Herculaneum, June 2008.
Looking west towards exterior wall above vaulted ramp leading to lower level/beachfront. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.
II.1 Herculaneum, June 2008.
Looking west to exterior south-east corner of property. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.
II.1 Herculaneum, June 2008. Looking west to exterior wall in south-east corner. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.
II.1 Herculaneum, June 2008. Detail of east wall of property. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.
II.1 Herculaneum, June 2008. Detail of upper east wall. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.
Looking north. The ramp that would have led to the beach can be seen, centre right. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.
Looking north across upper floor of Casa di Aristide, general view of Herculaneum taken from above the area of the beachfront.
Photo used with the permission of the Institute of Archaeology, University of Oxford. File name instarchbx116im007 Resource ID 42245.
See photo on University of Oxford HEIR database
II.1 Herculaneum, on right. Looking north across upper floor of Casa di Aristide.
Photograph by M. Amodio, from an album dated April 1878.
On the left are rooms belonging to II.2, The House of Argus. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.
Herculaneum, September 2015.
Looking south along ramp originally leading down to lower levels and/or beachfront, on east side of II.1 Casa di Aristide.
See Guidobaldi,
M.P, 2009: Ercolano, guida agli scavi. Naples, Electa Napoli, (p.54).
Herculaneum, September 2015. Looking south along ramp, on east side of Casa di Aristide.
II.1 Herculaneum,1842, drawing by Zahn.
Plan showing the houses discovered between 1828 until 1838, (described as) at the side of the sea, not far from the theatre.
This consists of II.1 lower floor, with shaded area representing the lower floor of II.2 separately on left, - II.1 on left, II.2 in centre, and II.3 on right.
On the lower part of the roadway (Cardo III) are III.1, III.2, and III.3, on right.
See
Zahn, W., 1842. Die schönsten Ornamente und merkwürdigsten Gemälde aus
Pompeji, Herkulanum und Stabiae: II. Berlin: Reimer. (63)
II.2 Herculaneum,1842, drawing by Zahn.
Street view of the exterior façade of the houses discovered between 1828 until 1838, (described as by the side of the sea, not far from the theatre).
II.1 is on the left in the top drawing, with terrace overlooking the sea, and doorway shaded by a roof held up by four columns;
II.2 is on the left of the middle drawing, with an upper floor overlooking the roadway and a doorway shaded by a roof supported by four pilasters;
On the right is II.3, with its doorway shaded by a roof supported by two columns.
The lowest drawing is a complete vista on the west side of Cardo III, from II.1 up until II.3.
See Zahn, W., 1842. Die schönsten Ornamente und merkwürdigsten Gemälde aus Pompeji, Herkulanum und Stabiae: II. Berlin: Reimer. (64).
“During the excavation there were still upper floors, whereas now there are only lower floors (other than some fragments of the upper) but one can see in several places the position of the beams of the planks for the upper floors, as well as the ceilings of the lower floors with their tiles. These Herculaneum wooden constructions, all charred, have been preserved, while those at Pompeii are destroyed. Wooden doors and other wooden structures have also been preserved in charcoal, so that the shapes are perfectly recognisable. The walls and columns are made of irregular stones, partly in brick and volcanic stones, partly in Opus reticulatum, stuccoed, and partly painted”.
II.1 Herculaneum, September 2015. Doorway to Casa di Aristide, looking west.
The atrium opened directly onto the roadway, without an entrance corridor, but with a porch outside in the street.
II.1 Herculaneum, October 2014. Looking south-west towards the doorway to Casa di Aristide. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.
II.1 Herculaneum. August 2021. Looking west across impluvium in atrium. Photo courtesy of Robert Hanson.
II.1 Herculaneum, September 2015. North side of atrium, looking towards modern doorway linking to peristyle of Casa d’Argo.
The original opening was made by a Bourbon tunnel.
II.1 Herculaneum, October
2023.
North-east corner of
atrium with break in wall leading north along east side of peristyle of II.2,
Casa d’Argo.
Photo courtesy of
Klaus Heese.
II.1 Herculaneum, August 2021.
Modern doorway linking to peristyle
of II.2 Casa d’Argo, on north side of atrium. Photo
courtesy of Robert Hanson
II.1 Herculaneum, September 2015. Looking north-east across atrium. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.
II.1 Herculaneum,
October 2023. Looking towards north-west corner of atrium. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.
II.1 Herculaneum, September 2015. Steps in north-west corner of atrium leading to rooms on west side.
II.1 Herculaneum, September 2015. Rooms on west side of atrium.
II.1 Herculaneum, August 2013. Rooms on west side of atrium. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
II.1 Herculaneum, September 2015. Rooms on west side of atrium, looking west.
II.1 Herculaneum, October 2014. Rooms on west side of atrium, looking north.
The wooden gate covers a break in the east wall belonging to the large salon of the house at II.2. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.
II.1 Herculaneum, September 2015. Looking towards west side of atrium.
II.1 Herculaneum, August 2013. Looking west across impluvium in atrium. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
II.1
Herculaneum, October 2023.
Looking south through doorway to large
room in south-west corner of atrium.
Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.
II.1 Herculaneum,
October 2023.
Looking south-west
across large room through doorway in south-west corner of atrium. Photo
courtesy of Klaus Heese.
II.1 Herculaneum, September 2015. Two doorways on south-west side of atrium, steps to a corridor, on left.
II.1 Herculaneum, October 2023.
Doorway with steps in centre of south
wall. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.
II.1
Herculaneum, October 2023.
Looking
south through doorway with steps in centre of south wall of atrium. Photo
courtesy of Klaus Heese.
II.1 Herculaneum, September 2015. Rooms on south side of atrium.
II.1 Herculaneum, August 2013. Rooms on south side of atrium. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
II.1 Herculaneum, September 2015. Looking south-east across atrium.
II.1 Herculaneum,
October 2023.
Steps and doorway in
south-east corner of atrium. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.
II.1 Herculaneum, September 2015.
Steps in south-east corner of atrium, leading to service rooms on lower floor, where several skeletons were found in Bourbon times.
II.1 Herculaneum, August 2013. Leading to service rooms on lower floors. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
II.1 Herculaneum, May 2006.
Stone furnace from the largest of the lower rooms, at the side of it was a dolium which was found buried in the flooring.
Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.
II.1 Herculaneum, May 2006. Detail of top of furnace. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.
II.1 Herculaneum, May 2006. Looking up from lower floors. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.
II.1 Herculaneum, May 2006. Structure in one of the lower rooms. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.
Ins.II.1, on left, Herculaneum. 1964. Looking north along Cardo III. Photo by Stanley A. Jashemski.
Source: The Wilhelmina and Stanley A. Jashemski archive in the University of Maryland Library, Special Collections (See collection page) and made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial License v.4. See Licence and use details.
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