21. Pompeii (formerly Torre Annunziata). Villa rustica detta di Titus Siminius Stephanus.

Villa of T. Siminius Stephanus. Villa rustica esplorata nel fondo Barbatelli.

Excavated 18.10.1899 to 22.1.1900 and from 14.9.1900 until February 1901.

fondo Barbatelli 2i      Fondo Masucci-D'Aquino      fondo Barbatelli 1      Combined plan

Villa of T. Siminius Stephanus, fondo Barbatelli. 24th November 1899.

Found at a depth of 3.80m, found between the ash layers.

Two of three table feet, well executed, the top finished with a head of a bitch, and the lower finished with a canine paw:

The bitch had a collar and two tiers of breasts. There were traces of silver coating.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1899, p. 441-2, fig. 4a, 4b.

Villa of T. Siminius Stephanus, fondo Barbatelli. 25th November 1899.

Found at the height of the upper floor, was a bronze pan-pipe, with eleven pipes, similar to one found in 1876 with nine pipes.

The decoration of the temples was identical in both. The one found here was leaning against a wall.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1899, p. 444, fig. 6.

See Bullettino dell’Instituto di Corrispondenza Archeologica (DAIR), 1877, p. 99.

Villa of T. Siminius Stephanus, fondo Barbatelli. 1968. Bronze Pan pipes (syrinx) discovered in 1899.

The Pan pipes are decorated with three aediculae that are supposed to represent a frons scaenae and, at the top, nine rods of different heights.

They are connected at the bottom and bear a hole near of the mouth.

The object, strongly restored in the nineteenth century, is large, so as to suggest that the operation needed the help of a special machine.

Its use was connected to the satyr play and the myth, but the instruments were also used during ritual ceremonies, such as Isiac processions, during which the faithful waved the sistrum.

It was also used during theatrical performances to entertain banqueters, as music as a separate discipline from acting does not seem to have existed in ancient times.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum. Inventory number 125187 but shown on the MANN web site as 111055.

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.

J68f1410

Villa of T. Siminius Stephanus, fondo Barbatelli. November 1899.

A large glazed terracotta lamp with two lights: in the shield was seen in relief a bust with the head in profile, turning to the left.

The head was graduated and bearded, and on his right shoulder rests the sceptre (Jupiter?).

At the sides of the shield, two scrolls with the heads of horses.

On the back of the leaf that surmounts the handle of enamelled terracotta lamp, following the cleanup of the lamp, were found the initials L N I.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1899, p. 445, fig. 7, p. 494.

Villa of T. Siminius Stephanus, fondo Barbatelli. November 1899.

Stucco male head, which lacks part of the right cheek (conserving however the ear) and the entire rear of the head. 

He was without a beard, had a slightly aquiline nose, closed mouth and big ears.

It was undoubtedly a portrait head that perhaps was cast into bronze.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1899, p. 446, fig. 8a.

Villa of T. Siminius Stephanus, fondo Barbatelli. November 1899.

Side view of stucco male head.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1899, p. 447, fig. 8b.

Villa of T. Siminius Stephanus, fondo Barbatelli. December 1899.

Found in a room on the upper floor, was a painting of the Fortuna, painted on a red background.

The goddess, 0.38m high, clothed in a green tunic with purple cloak held a cornucopia in her left hand and a rudder in her right hand, leaning on the earth.

At her feet, the globe could be seen.

The head, the arms, the cornucopia and the rudder were a monochrome red.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1899, p. 494, fig. 1.

Villa of T. Siminius Stephanus, fondo Barbatelli. October 1900.

Silver patera with 12cm long handle with relief of sea animals, shellfish and a rudder.

Now in Naples Archaeological Museum.  Inventory number 125262.

In fondo Barbatelli, outside the north wall of Pompeii, south of the rooms excavated at a distance of about 20 metres, in an easterly direction, outside these rooms and at a depth of 2m between the layer of ashes and lapilli, a human skeleton was found. Also found with the skeleton were the following objects –

A perfectly preserved silver casseruola, length 27cm, diameter 13.5cm, height 7.5cm and weighing 520g.

Other objects, including two keys, a bronze ring, and coins were found.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1900, p. 500-1.

See Guzzo, P. (A cura di), 2006. Argenti a Pompei. Milano, Electa. 168, p. 137.

Other photographs.

In Rivista di Studi Pompeiani, VII, 1995-6, the following photographs are included in the article by Grete Stefani, entitled “Contributo alla carta archeologica dell’ager pompeianus”.

1910 military photograph of area to north of Porta Vesuviana, p. 22, fig. 9.

Plan of fondo Barbatelli by Salvatore Cozzi, 1912, p. 23, fig. 10.

Plan of fondo Barbatelli by Giovanni Della Valle, p. 23, fig. 11.

View of the scavo Barbatelli, from the south-east, p. 24, fig. 12.

View of the scavo Barbatelli from north-west, p. 24, fig. 13.

View of alignment of pines along the via vicinale that divides the fondo Barbatelli, from fondo Masucci d’Aquino. Near to the pine one could see an oak, p. 25, fig. 14.

View of the structure along the alignment of pines. Under the pines one can see the oak (fallen or cut down), p. 26, fig. 15.

View of the water channel re-found to the west of the structure in fondo Barbatelli and the fallen (cut down) oak, p. 26, fig. 16.

View of the fossato in fondo Barbatelli, p. 27, fig. 17.

Particular of the structure at the surface, in fondo Barbatelli, p. 27, fig. 18.

The structure of the fondo Barbatelli during the excavation, from the south, p. 28, fig. 19.

Plan of excavations and location relative to Porta Vesuvio, p. 28, fig. 20.

Plan showing the two excavations of Villas 20 and 21 are the same villa, p. 28, fig. 21.

Tomb of Septumia at Vesuvian Gate, p. 29, fig. 22.

Excavation from Vesuvian Gate, showing road and recinto N, p. 29, fig. 23.

See Stefani G, 1995-6 Contributo alla carta archeologica dell’ager pompeianus: I rinvenimenti presso Porta Vesuvio: Rivista di Studi Pompeiani VII, 1995-6, pp. 11-33.

Other finds.

Many more finds are listed in NdS.

See Notizie degli Scavi di Antichità, 1899, p. 391, 439-448, 493-7; 1900, pp. 30, 70, 500-1, 584-7, 599-602.

Fondo Masucci-D'Aquino      fondo Barbatelli 1      Combined plan