Herculaneum VI.1. Thermae Centrali or Central Baths, linked to VI.7, VI.8 and VI.10.
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Plan
Caldarium, or hot room
VI.1, Herculaneum. October 2014.
Mosaic in threshold of doorway between tepidarium and hot room or caldarium. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.
VI.1, Herculaneum. August 2013.
Mosaic in threshold of doorway from tepidarium into hot room or caldarium. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
According to Maiuri, the calidarium is arranged as usual in Roman calidaria: there is the bath for immersion at one end of the room and the podium for the cold water labrum at the other end in a shell-shaped apse. The fallen vault gives us a clear view of the smoke-vents built behind the vault and of the hot-air pipes laid in the thickness of the walls.
See Maiuri, Amedeo, (1977). Herculaneum. 7th English ed, of Guide books to the Museums Galleries and Monuments of Italy, No.53 (p.37).
VI.1/7, Herculaneum. May 2010. Mosaic in threshold of doorway into hot room or caldarium.
VI.1/7, Herculaneum. May 2010.
Marble rectangular groove for the hinge/pivot of the door, and mosaic floor of tepidarium, leading into caldarium.
VI.1/7, Herculaneum. October 2014. Looking towards south wall of caldarium. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.
VI.1/7, Herculaneum.
March 2014. South end of
caldarium with shell-shaped apse and podium for labrum.
Foto
Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR
VI.1/7, Herculaneum. May 2010. South end of caldarium with shell-shaped apse and podium for labrum.
VI.1/7, Herculaneum. May 2010.
South end of caldarium with apsed niche that would have contained a round marble basin or labrum, for cold water.
This was removed by the Bourbon excavators. The remains of the stuccoed vaulted ceiling still survive at this end.
VI.1/7, Herculaneum. 7th August 1976. Looking towards south end of caldarium.
Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer, from Dr George Fay’s slides collection.
VI.1/7, Herculaneum. May 2010. Arched shell-shaped niche at south end of caldarium.
VI.1/7, Herculaneum. March 2014. Upper north end of
caldarium.
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR
VI.1/7, Herculaneum. April 2013.
Looking towards north end of vaulted caldarium. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.
VI.1/7, Herculaneum. May 2010. North end of caldarium with collapsed vaulted ceiling.
VI.1/7, Herculaneum. May 2010. Marble hot bath in north end of caldarium, reached by marble steps.
VI.1, Herculaneum. August 2013.
Looking north-east from doorway from tepidarium towards pool in caldarium. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
VI.1/7, Herculaneum. May 2010. Marble steps to pool.
VI.1/7, Herculaneum. October 2014.
Looking towards west end of hot bath in caldarium. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.
VI.1/7, Herculaneum. May 2010. Looking west along marble hot pool.
VI.1/7, Herculaneum. May 2010. North-west corner of caldarium, with hot bath.
VI.1/7, Herculaneum. May 2010. North-west corner of caldarium above pool.
VI.1/7, Herculaneum. October 2014.
Looking towards east end of hot bath in caldarium. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.
VI.1/7, Herculaneum. May 2010. North-east corner of caldarium above pool.
VI.1/7, Herculaneum. October 2014. Looking towards east wall of caldarium. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.
VI.1/7, Herculaneum. May 2010. East wall of caldarium.
VI.1/7, Herculaneum. May 2010. Looking south along east wall of caldarium.
VI.1/7, Herculaneum. May 2010. Looking north along east wall of caldarium.
VI.1/7, Herculaneum. May 2010. East wall of caldarium.
VI.1/7, Herculaneum. May 2010. Mosaic floor in caldarium.
VI.1/7, Herculaneum. May 2010. Looking north along west wall of caldarium, with arched doorway to tepidarium.
VI.1/7, Herculaneum. October 2014.
North end of west wall of caldarium, with arched doorway to tepidarium, and hot bath, on right. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.
VI.1/7, Herculaneum. May 2010. Looking south along west wall of caldarium, with doorway to tepidarium.
VI.1/7, Herculaneum. May 2010. Remains of decoration in south-west corner of caldarium.
VI.1/7, Herculaneum. October 2014. South-west corner of caldarium. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.
VI.1/7, Herculaneum. May 2010. South-west corner of caldarium.
VI.1/7, Herculaneum. May 2010. Stucco decoration.
VI.1/7, Herculaneum. May 2010. Detail of stucco decoration.
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Plan