15. Boscoreale, Villa rustica in proprietà del Vito Antonio Cirillo near piazza Mercato.

Excavated 1897-1898 by the De Prisco family. Reburied after the excavation.

The villa was situated near piazza Mercato (today piazza Vargas) by the railway line FF.SS. in via Settetermini.

Bibliography

Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1898, pp. 419-422.

Boyce G. K., 1937. Corpus of the Lararia of Pompeii. Rome: MAAR 14, p. 98, n. 489.

Casale A., Bianco A., Primo contributo alla topografia del suburbio pompeiano: Supplemento al n. 15 di ANTIQUA ottobre-dicembre 1979, 13, fig. 9.

Cou, H.F. 1912. Antiquities from Boscoreale in the Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago. Pp. 171-3, Plate CXXIII.

Day, J., 1932. Agriculture in the life of Pompeii: Yale Classical Studies, 3, tav. B, C, n.15.

Fröhlich, T., 1991. Lararien und Fassadenbilder in den Vesuvstädten. Mainz: von Zabern, p. 305, L128, Taf. 51.1.

Garcia y Garcia L., 2017. Scavi Privati nel Territorio di Pompei. Roma: Arbor Sapientiae, p. 164-167, no. 26.

Rostovzev, M., 1973. Storia economica e sociale dell’Impero Romano, Firenze, 5° ediz., p. 33, note 26, n. 15.

Secondo PAdiP, Villa del fondo Vito Antonio Cirillo, Boscoreale, Scavata solo parzialmente nel 1897-1898, era dotata di ambiente per il torchio vinario.

Restituì un'interessante pittura parietale da larario con scena di sacrificio e serpente, attualmente conservata al Field Museum di Chicago. Ricoperta dopo lo scavo.

(According to PAdiP, the Villa del fondo Vito Antonio Cirillo, Boscoreale was only partially excavated in 1897-1898, it was equipped with an area for a wine press. It revealed an interesting wall painting from the lararium with scene of sacrifice and serpent, currently housed at the Field Museum in Chicago. The villa was reburied after the excavation).

Boscoreale, Villa Rustica in proprietà Cirillo. Lararium with sacrificial scene and serpent, found in the north wing of Portico B.

Now in Field Museum Chicago, inventory number 24658.

Photograph John Weinstein © Field Museum of Natural History - CC BY-NC.

According to Cou –

“In the centre of the lararium painting is an altar of dark red marble, with a moulded base and wide cornice, on the upper surface a red fire burns with a whitish smoke.

Close to the altar on either side is a small green tree.

On the right of the altar is a tall figure clad in a toga, extending his right hand over the fire. On his short dark brown hair there are traces of a green wreath.

Next to him on the right is a boy, turned slightly to the left, wearing a whitish tunic extending as far as the knees.

In his left hand, but hardly visible due to repairs, he held a dark brown platter, on which is an unrecognisable substance.

He also had short dark brown hair, with traces of a green wreath.

On the extreme right there are slight remains of a larger figure, doubtless male, walking to left.

On the left of the altar stands a figure with wide hips and of stature somewhat inferior to that of the man opposite.

It is clad in a whitish upper garment and what seems to be a yellowish under-garment or tunic. The brown feet are turned to the right, and it cannot be seen if they are shod. The left hand is extended over the altar. The head, which is partly turned to the left, is crowned with rather plentiful dark brown hair. There are very faint traces of a green wreath. The face is considerably lighter coloured than that of the man. Wide brown lines are used to indicate contours as well as the folds of the upper garment. The figure doubtless represents a woman.

Close to her on the left is a boy wearing a tunic which reaches about to the knees. The legs below the garment are sketchily drawn and poorly preserved, and the feet are scarcely distinguishable. The left arm supports a large dark brown platter on which there are some objects of uncertain character, chiefly of brownish colour.

About the boy's dark brown hair there are traces of a green wreath. His face, which is almost in profile, is similar in colour to that of the woman. Eye, nose and mouth are still visible.

On the left of this figure there follows, after a certain interspace, a youth who is playing the double flutes.

He is clad in a single whitish garment which reaches from the neck to the ankle. The pipes on which he is playing are dark brown in colour.

The musician's rather long head is covered with scanty brown hair, about which there are traces of a wide green wreath.

He has a slanting forehead, thick lips and a retreating chin. Eye, nose and mouth are preserved.

The lower part of the painting shows a large crested serpent moving to the right.

His back is brownish-red. His underside is yellow with dark red stripes as far as the neck, which with the greater part of the head is brownish-red.

The crest, with the exception of two large white spots, is of a bright red colour.

From the mouth, which is slightly open, the bright red tongue darts obliquely downwards.

Above and below the serpent there are traces of a large green plant, in shape something like a fleur-de-lis.

Height, m. 0.65 (= 2 ft. 1.59 in.). Width, m. 1.118 (=3 ft. 8.01 in.).

Restoration of plaster in corners and on right side, especially between main scene and serpent.

There are cracks in every part, particularly around the edges.

The background is now mostly of a whitish colour, streaked and blotched in many places, especially in the upper part, to yellow and brown.

The garments are of substantially the same colour as the background but are distinguished from it by their outlines.

Nearly all the lower part and most of the right end after the camillus form a large corner of somewhat darker colour (except where restored), as though smoked.”

See Cou, H.F., 1912. Antiquities from Boscoreale in the Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago. P. 171-3, Plate CXXIII.

According to Boyce:

On the N. side of the peristyle-court, in the pillar separating the entrances to two smaller rooms, is set a semi-circular niche and on the wall on each side of it is painted a Lar. These Lares are not dressed as usual, but wear green trousers which reach to the ankles, instead of having their legs bare, and have black shoes on their feet instead of the usual high boots. Below the niche is painted a sacrificial scene: A burning altar stands between two trees and upon it two figures pour libations: on the right the Genius, on the left a female figure, probably the Juno; both are dressed in white and have their heads covered. Behind the Genius stand a camillus with fillets in his right and a second figure damaged beyond identification; behind the Juno are a second camillus with fillets in his right and a shallow dish containing offerings in his left, and the tibicen. Below this scene is a single serpent.

See Boyce G. K., 1937. Corpus of the Lararia of Pompeii. Rome: MAAR 14, p. 98, n. 489.

According to Fröhlich:

White-ground wall surface with arched niche. Two Lars in long green trousers and black shoes flanked the niche. The painting stored in Chicago was under the niche. The Laren did not make it to Chicago and were probably destroyed. The preserved scene has been restored in places at the corners and between the upper and lower zones. Numerous missing parts, overall moderately to heavily faded.

See Fröhlich, T., 1991. Lararien und Fassadenbilder in den Vesuvstädten. Mainz: von Zabern, p. 305, L128, Taf. 51.1.

According to Sogliano in NdS:

In the north wing of the portico "B", in the dividing pilaster between the entrance doorways to the rooms "C" and "D", and precisely at "a" [on the plan] we see the painted lararium, which is not without importance. Unfortunately, the bad state of preservation does not allow for a photographic reproduction. The two Lares were seen on either side of a semicircular niche, they were greatly damaged mainly in the upper part: one can only affirm that they were not in their usual costume, inasmuch as, instead of bare legs, they had green breeches until the instep of the foot, and, instead of the high boot, they had black shoes. Below the niche, a flaming altar between two trees was pictured, on the altar were drink offerings, the genius familiaris to the right, dressed in a white robe and veiled head and to the left Juno (la iuno), also dressed in white and with a veiled head. Behind the genius were a Camillus, partly damaged, with the ribbons in his right hand, and another unrecognisable figure; and behind the Juno another Camillus with ribbons in the right hand and a plate with offerings in his left hand, and the tibicen in the act of playing the double flute.  Below was the serpent agathodaemon.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1898, p. 421.

Notizie degli Scavi, 1898, p.419-422

Remains of a villa in piazza Mercato, Boscoreale.

In April 1897 a certain Vito Antonio Cirillo, whilst excavating the lapilli on land he owned, located near the market of Boscoreale, encountered ancient ruins, but without finding any objects whatsoever, except for a piece of tile with a known stamp

(CIL, X, n.8042, 90, 91):

L • S Agini prodami

This fondo came quickly into the possession of the family De Prisco, where they began an excavation from 25 October of the same year, in response to ministerial authorization, that was conducted until the end of 1897 and the beginning of the following year. It was closed on 5th February 1898.

As one can see from the plan here, we are faced with another of the many Roman villas, which populated the slopes of Vesuvius, or that part of it that was intended for rustic use, easily recognizable by the presence of the furnace "E" and the torcularium "H" and the complete absence of any decoration. As in other villas, we have here an inside area, around which are arranged the various rooms. 

The area "A" was enclosed by two sides, i.e. by the portico B to the north and east, supported by pillars on the north side, and brick pillars and columns, covered with white stucco, on the east side. In parallel with the two alae of the portico runs a channel for the rainwater but was not entirely uncovered. In the area that was explored without being cleared, items were found (See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1898, p. 420-421 for details).

Boscoreale, Villa Rustica in proprietà Cirillo. Plan from Notizie degli Scavi, 1898, p.420.

See Casale A., Bianco A., Primo contributo alla topografia del suburbio pompeiano: Supplemento al n. 15 di ANTIQUA ottobre-dicembre 1979, 13, fig. 9.

In the north wing of the portico "B", in the dividing pilaster between the entrance doorways to the rooms "C" and "D", and precisely at "a" we see the painted lararium, which is not without importance. Unfortunately, the bad state of preservation does not allow for a photographic reproduction. The two Lares were seen on either side of a semicircular niche, they were greatly damaged mainly in the upper part: one can only affirm that they were not in their usual costume, inasmuch as, instead of bare legs, they had green breeches until the instep of the foot, and, instead of the high boot, they had black shoes.

Below the niche, a flaming altar between two trees was pictured, on the altar were drink offerings, the genius familiaris to the right, dressed in a white robe and veiled head and to the left Juno (la iuno), also dressed in white and with a veiled head. Behind the genius were a Camillus, partly damaged, with the ribbons in his right hand, and another unrecognisable figure; and behind the Juno another Camillus with ribbons in the right hand and a plate with offerings in his left hand, and the tibicen in the act of playing the double flute.  Below was the serpent agathodaemon.

In the same ala of the portico in "b", the mouth of the cistern was found, and the following items were found there:

on the 1st December 1897, a terracotta jug;

on the 22nd of that month a fragmented terracotta phallus;

on the 31st, against the south-east corner of the porch, in "c" the imprint of a closet was recognised, in which were contained the following items:

— Alabaster. An ointment/perfume jar. 

— Glass. A small bottle and a carafe. 

— Terracotta. Three cups, four jugs, a small amphora and three pots.

Beneath the north ala opened the doorways to rooms “C” and “D”

The room "C", with flooring of opus signinum, high zoccolo or plinth of brick paste and white plaster at the top of the walls; it had a mezzanine above, in which a thoroughfare still existed in the south wall.

Found here

on 16th November 1897: Iron. A billhook, a hoe and an axe;

on 17th November, a tile with the mark - N SILLIVS N   [CIL X, 8042.97]

on 3rd December, a lead vase,

and 6th December, five amphorae and a flat bottom plate with the mark – L.R.P [CIL X, 8055.36]

The room "D" communicated with the oven at "E" and with the complex "F" and "G". Adjacent to the north-west corner, in "d", was a shallow masonry plastered wall, on which was found a small millstone and embedded in the same masonry was a circular basin.  On the wall, just above the floor of said masonry wall, two figures of fighting gladiators could be seen, traced in charcoal (height 0.37).

On the 20th November 1897, in room “D”, two human skeletons and that of a small quadruped were found.

Another two human skeletons were found in complex "G", on 18 December.

The torcularium “H” was located to the east of the north portico, with dolium "e", similar in its appearance to that of the villa at Pisanella and the other villa in contrada Giuliana (See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1897, p. 391 etc).

Under the east ala of portico "B", where a large terracotta dolium was found in fragments, was the entrance to the rustic room “L”, behind which the large room “M” had its entrance doorway to the south.

An amphora with epigraph in black letters was found here.

In the upper layers of soil, on November 4th, 1897, a tile was found, with the mark -

L. SAGINI [CIL X, 8042.90].

(Written by A. SOGLIANO).

Boscoreale, Villa Rustica in proprietà Cirillo. Notizie degli Scavi, 1898, p.419.

Boscoreale, Villa Rustica in proprietà Cirillo. Notizie degli Scavi, 1898, p.420.

Boscoreale, Villa Rustica in proprietà Cirillo. Notizie degli Scavi, 1898, p.421.

Boscoreale, Villa Rustica in proprietà Cirillo. Notizie degli Scavi, 1898, p.422.