101. Stabiae, Secondo Complesso or Villa Arianna B.
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Plan
Stabiae, Secondo Complesso, September 2015. Room 14, west wall with painted decoration.
Stabiae, Secondo Complesso, June 2019.
Room 14, looking towards south-west corner, with doorway into room 20, in centre, and into room 15, on right. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
A large part of the mosaic flooring is missing, but the part remaining consists of a black mosaic with an external border of two white mosaic lines separated by black mosaic tiles.
According to Pisapia – described as floor number 102 -
No.102. L’ambiente misura m.7 x 6,40. Del pavimento rimane poco e soltanto nella zona occidentale. Le tessere bianche e nere, di cm 1 sono di calcare e basalto. (Tav. XXIX).
(Floor no. 102.
The room measured 7m x 6.40m. Little remains of the mosaic flooring, and only
in the western area. The black and white tesserae, measuring 1cm, are made of
limestone and basalt. (Tav. XXIX).
See Pisapia, M.
S. 1989, in Mosaici antichi in Italia, Regione prima. Stabia, Roma, (p. 54, tav. XXIX.)
According to la Vega –
Portici, 26 Agosto 1775.
In Stabia si è
incominciato a scoprire altra stanza col pavimento di musaico negro contornato
da due fasce bianche; e ad una finestra della stessa stanza si è trovato due
cardini con corrispondenti piastre; un maschietto ed un anello, tutto di
bronzo; quali cose si conservano a Civita per mandarle in altra occasione…. (La
Vega…. minuta)
(Portici, 26th August 1775
In Stabia another room has begun to be
discovered with a black mosaic floor surrounded by two white bands; and at a
window of the same room two hinges were found with corresponding plates; a
door-hinge and a ring, all of bronze; these things are kept at Civita to be
sent on another occasion (La Vega…. minuta).
Portici, 2 settembre 1775.
In Stabia si è continuato
a scoprire la stanza notata nel passato rapporto, dove si sono trovati altri
pezzi di bronzi oltre quelli notati nell’antecedente rapporto, …….. Il giovane di Canart è stato a tagliare il
pavimento di musaico notato nel rapporto de’ 29 Luglio, quale è compartito con
varie figure esagone, ed anche ha tagliato la soglia notato nel rapporto dei 5
Agosto…….. La Vega (minuta).
(Portici,
2nd September 1775
In Stabia, continued to uncover the room noted
in the past report, where we found other pieces of bronze other than noted in
the preceding report……….
The boy of Canart has started to cut the mosaic
noted in the report of 29th July which was composed with various
hexagon figures and also has cut the threshold noted in the report of 5th
August……. La Vega…. (minuta).
Portici, 9 settembre 1775.
Il pavimento che notai nel
passato rapporto essersi tagliato dalli giovani di Canart in Stabia, si è
mandato in questa settimana, allo stesso in otto pezzi.
Ed anche se è mandata la
soglia nello stesso rapport notata, lunga palmi 8, larga palmi 2 ½, e tre
cofani di musaici sciolti.
Si è lavorato in Stabia
nella solita casa dalla parte di tramontana senza novità alcuna…… la Vega
(minuta).
(Portici
9th September 1775.
The floor which was noted in the past report having
been cut by the young people of Canart in Stabia, was sent this week to the
same in 8
pieces.
And also, the threshold from the same noted report,
has been sent, 2.11m (7ft) long and 0.66m (2ft 2in) wide and 3 caskets of loose
mosaics.
Worked in the usual house at Stabia, in the
north part, without anything new.)
See Ruggiero M., 1881. Degli
scavi di Stabia dal 1749 al 1782, Naples, (p.229-230) (On Tav. V, this
room is numbered as 13).
Stabiae Secondo Complesso ambiente 14. 2015. Room
14, mosaic in south-west corner.
Photo courtesy of Carmela Ariano, Varano, Secondo
Complesso, triclinio 14, tessellato monocromo, in TESS – scheda 18031.
http://tess.beniculturali.unipd.it/web/scheda/?recid=18031
Use: CC BY-NC-SA 2.5
See Pisapia, M.
S., 1989, in Mosaici antichi in Italia, Regione prima. Stabia, Roma, p. 54, Tav. XXIX.
Stabiae, Secondo Complesso, September 2015.
Doorway to room 20, in south wall of room 14, with doorway into room 19, on right.
Stabiae Secondo
Complesso ambiente 20. 2015. Room 20, flooring.
Photo courtesy of
Carmela Ariano, Varano, Secondo Complesso, corridoio 20, cementizio a base
fittile, in TESS – scheda 18036.
http://tess.beniculturali.unipd.it/web/scheda/?recid=18036
Use: CC BY-NC-SA 2.5
See Bonifacio, G.,
Sodo, A., 2001, in Stabiae.
Guida Archeologica alle Ville, Castellammare di Stabia, p. 179.
Stabiae, Secondo Complesso, June 2019.
Room 14, looking east across south side from near room 15, with room 21 in centre right. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
Stabiae, Secondo Complesso, June 2019. Room 14, looking south towards room 21 in centre. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
Stabiae, Secondo Complesso, September 2015.
Room 14, south wall. In the centre of the south wall is room 21. On the left is corridor 22, leading to the rear.
Stabiae, Secondo Complesso, May 2010.
Room 14, looking south-east from site of window on west end of north wall towards corridor 22.
Stabiae, Secondo Complesso, June 2019. Room 21, east wall with painted decoration. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
Stabiae, Secondo Complesso, September 2015. Room 21, east wall.
Stabiae, Secondo Complesso, September 2015. Room 21, south wall.
The flooring is made of white mosaic with a border of two black lines around its edges.
Stabiae Secondo Complesso. 2015. Room 21, flooring in south-east corner.
Photo courtesy of
Carmela Ariano, Varano, Secondo Complesso, esedra 21, tessellato monocromo, in
TESS – scheda 18037.
http://tess.beniculturali.unipd.it/web/scheda/?recid=18037
Use: CC
BY-NC-SA 2.5
Pisapia numbers this floor as number 103,
See Pisapia, M.
S., 1989, in Mosaici antichi in Italia, Regione prima. Stabia, Roma, p. 54, tav. XLIII.
Stabiae, Secondo Complesso, June 2019.
Room 21, looking towards west wall with painted decoration. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
Stabiae, Secondo Complesso, September 2015. Room 21, west wall.
Stabiae, Secondo Complesso, September 2015. Looking south to rear of room 21 with corridor 22 on left and room 20 on right.
Stabiae, Secondo Complesso, September 2015. Rooms 24 and 25 at rear of room 21.
According to d’Orsi, at the rear of rooms 20, 21 and 22, more rooms, 23 to 31, were excavated (15th January to 4th February 1968).
See d’Orsi, l.,
1996. Gli Scavi di Stabiae: Giornale di Scavo. SAP Monografie 11. Rome:
Edizioni Quasar, (p.402)
Stabiae, Secondo Complesso, September 2015.
Room 14, west wall, with entrance doorway and west window to room 12 with mosaic floor, lower right.
Stabiae, Secondo Complesso, Room 14, fresco with mask of Zeus.
Antiquarium Stabiano, inventory number - 63897.
See Otium Ludens, curated by Guzzo, P, Bonifacio, G, and Sodo, A.M. (2007). Castellammare di Stabia: Nicola Longobardi, p. 133.
Stabiae, Secondo Complesso, September 2015.
Room 14, looking through window on east side of entrance doorway, with doorway to room 13, on left, and corridor 22 to rooms 24 and 25 at rear of room 21.
Stabiae, Secondo Complesso, September 2015.
Room 12, looking west along south side of mosaic floor into the south-west corner of the room.
The entrance doorway into room 14 is on the left.
Stabiae, Secondo Complesso, June 2019. Room 12, detail of mosaic flooring. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
Pisapia numbers this floor as number 105.
See Pisapia, M. S. 1989, in Mosaici antichi in Italia, Regione prima. Stabia, Roma, (p. 55).
Stabiae, Secondo Complesso, September 2015. Room 12, looking east.
Stabiae, Secondo Complesso, September 2015. Doorway to room 13, on south side of area 12.
Stabiae, Secondo Complesso, June 2019. Room 13, doorway in east wall leading to peristyle. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
Stabiae, Secondo Complesso, June 2019.
Room 13, looking south across flooring towards two windows in east wall overlooking peristyle. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
Pisapia numbers this floor as number 104.
See Pisapia, M. S. 1989, in Mosaici antichi in Italia, Regione prima. Stabia, Roma, (p. 54).
On Tav. V, Ruggiero numbers this floor as number 12.
According to Barker, Fant, Ward & Amiet –
“Room 13, with a floor area of 72 sq. m, it is amongst the
largest of the eight rooms in Campania that feature wall-to-wall opus sectile
paving.
All of the marble has been stripped from the floor, but the pattern can be reconstructed from imprints in the mortar bedding and details provided by Ruggiero (Note 26, Ruggiero 1881: p.179).
The pavement was excavated in 1762 by Weber and partly stripped to pave a room in the Museo Reale in Portici, now the Museo Ercolanese in the Reggia di Portici. (Note 27, see Allroggen-Bedel and Kammerer-Grothaus. 1980, p.200).
Later in 1775 the room was re-excavated and the remaining marble from the pavement and the room’s marble threshold was stripped to pave one of the rooms in the Real Museo Borbonico. (Note 28 – The floor was located on the first floor of the Museo Nazionale di Napoli, but has subsequently been removed. (See Pisapia, 1989: 55, Cat No. 104; 2002: 111-112.)”
See Barker, et al: The Marmo al Mare Project 2013. Marble
décor at the Roman Villas of Stabiae.
The opus sectile flooring from this room had been completely detached in two stages, but it has been possible to reconstruct it due to the information furnished by La Vega.
During the first excavation by Weber, in 1762, a marble floor of various colours came to light, which was used to pave the first room of the Museo Reale at Portici.
In 1775, the room was re-excavated, and the remaining flooring was carried away together with the marble threshold.
The flooring was used to pave the centre of a floor in the Real Museo Borbonico now the Naples Archaeological Museum.
See Ruggiero, M. Degli
scavi di Stabia dal 1749 al 1782, (p.179).
According to La
Vega/Ruggiero -
“N. 0 12. Dalli 7
alli 15 Agosto si è scavata parte di questa stanza, quale già era stata
ricercata dalli 2 alli 7 Agosto 1762 e se n'era tolta la maggiore porzione del
pavimento. Questo era di marmo Seravezza e portasanta in alternative forme di
quadrati e triangoli rettangoli (V. Tav. VI, fig. 5a); quale si trova situato
nella prima stanza del Reale Museo in Portici. Di altra porzione che restava di
tale pavimento se ne sono levati nove pezzi, come la soglia di marmo.”
(N. 0 12. From 7 to 15 August, part of this room was
excavated, which had already been searched from 2 to 7 August 1762, and the
major portion of the floor had been removed. This was made of Seravezza and
Portasanta marble in alternative shapes of squares and rectangular triangles
(see Table VI, fig. 5a); which is located in the first room of the Royal Museum
in Portici. Nine pieces of the remaining portion of this floor were removed,
such as the marble threshold.) (Note: V. Tav. VI. Fig. 5a, does not appear to
match the above description).
Portici – 12 Agosto 1775….
In Stabia si è avanzato lo scavo dell’edificio già notato
dalla parte di mezzogiorno sino a ritrovarsi una stanza che già era stata
evacuata in altro tempo, e che ne restava appresso di me la pianta fatta da
Mastro Antonio, sicché ora si potrà unire la pianta di quella porzione della
casa con quella che si andrà scoprendo. Nella detta stanza vi era al suo
ingresso la soglia di marmo lunga palmi 9 e larga 2, e picciola porzione di
pavimento di marmo. Ora per continuare il lavoro nella stessa casa si è passato
a lavorare dalla parte di tramontana, dove vi devono essere dell’altre stanze
all’intorno di un gran cortile… (La Vega
(minuta).
(Portici
– August 12, 1775)
In
Stabia the excavation of the building already noted on the south side has
progressed until we found a room that had already been excavated at another
time, and that the plan made by Mastro Antonio remained with me, so that now it
will be possible to join the plan of that portion of the house with that which
will be discovered. In the said room there was as its entrance
the marble threshold 2.37m (7ft 9in) long and 0.53m (1ft 9in) wide, and a small
portion of the marble floor. Now, in order to continue the work in the same
house, we have moved on to work on the north side, where there must be other
rooms around a large courtyard (La Vega….. minute).
Portici – 19 Agosto 1775….
In Stabia si è tagliata la fascia negra di musaico
attorno del pavimento notato alli 5 di questo, in sei pezzi, largo ciascuno
pal. 1 ½ e lunghi, etc. …… Di più si è
levata una soglia di marmo lunga palmi 7 e larga palmi 2 ¼ in due pezzi, e nove
quadrati, parte di Seravezza e parte di Portasanta del pavimento notato nel
passato rapporto. Il tutto si e mandato a D. Giuseppe Canart. Nello stesso
tempo che si sono tagliati li descritti pezzi, con sei uomini che restavano si è
lavorato scavandosi verso la parte di tramontana della stessa casa, senza
essere occorsa alcuna novità…. (La Vega…
Minuti).
(Portici, 19th August 1775)
(In
Stabia, the black band of mosaic around the floor noted on the 5th of this, was
cut into six pieces, each 0.4m (1ft 4in) wide ….etc. In addition, a marble threshold was lifted, 1.85m
(6ft 1in) long and 0.59m (1ft 11in) wide in two
pieces, and nine squares, part of Seravezza and part of Portasanta, of the
floor noted in the previous report. Everything was sent to D. Giuseppe
Canart. At the same time that the pieces described were cut, with the remaining
six men, work was carried out by digging towards the north side of the same
house, without anything new occurring. (La Vega…. Minuti).
In the first (room CXLIII) and second (room
CXLII) on the first floor of the Naples Archaeological Museum are two mosaic
floor inserts from oecus 13.
Mosaic in Naples Archaeological Museum, from
room 13 of Secondo Complesso. June 2024.
Looking from first room (CXLIII) towards second
room (CXLII). Photo courtesy of Giuseppe
Ciaramella.
According to Miele -
From oecus 13 of the so-called Second Stabiae
Complex…….comes the panel, now in room CXLIII, with rows of marble squares in
Portasanta and Pavonazzetto surrounded by a band of cipollino………………………. The
central panel of the same oecus 13 is found, however, in room CXLII.
See Miele, F., 2019 in MANN.
La Collezione Magna
Grecia. Electa, Milano, page
66-7.
Mosaic in Naples Archaeological Museum, now in room
CXLIII. June 2024. Photo courtesy of Giuseppe
Ciaramella.
Mosaic
in Naples Archaeological Museum, now in room CXLIII. June 2024.
Detail
of marble (Portasanta and Pavonazzetto) squares, originally from room 13 of
Secondo Complesso at Stabia.
Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella.
Mosaic in Naples Archaeological Museum, central
mosaic panel from Room 13 of Secondo Complesso, Stabia.
July 2019. Looking from second room (CXLII) towards
first room (CXLIII). Photo courtesy of Giuseppe
Ciaramella.
Mosaic
floor in second room on first floor of Naples Archaeological Museum. Looking
towards third room.
June
2024. Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella.
According to Naples Museum notice-card –
“With the recent intervention of restructuring of the room ready
for the opening of the Collection Magna Grecia, it was decided not to cover the
mosaics again and to effect the necessary restoration and maintenance of them
to enable the public to see and gain access to them.”
According to
Pisapia –
“Il pavimento è stato riconosciuto in una delle sale del I piano del Museo Nazionale di Napoli, ma è stato strappato assieme a quelli di tutta l’ala, per cui mi è stato impossibile reperire una buona fotografia.” (Note 4 – page 55).
(The floor has been recognized in one of the rooms on the
first floor of the National Museum of Naples, but it was removed along with those of the entire wing, so that it was
impossible for me to find a good photograph.)
See Pisapia, M. S. 1989, in Mosaici antichi in Italia, Regione prima. Stabia, Roma, Room 104: p.54-55. (Her room 104 corresponds with our Room 13).
Opus
Sectile floor on display in room CXLII on First floor in Naples Museum. June 2024. Photo courtesy
of Giuseppe Ciaramella.
According to
Ruggiero –
104 - “Il pavimento
e scandita da un reticolo, formato da una fascia di marmo cipollino, nei cui
scomparti sono racchiuse serie di quattro quadrelli. Questi sono formati da un
quadrato sulla punta attorno al quale sono quattro triangoli che alternano i
colori.”
(The floor is punctuated by a grid, formed by a band of
cipollino marble, in whose compartments a series of four squares was enclosed.
These are formed by a square, at the tip around which are four triangles of
alternating colours.)
See Ruggiero, M. Degli
scavi di Stabia dal 1749 al 1782, (p.119).
See Pisapia, M. S. 1989, in Mosaici antichi in Italia, Regione prima. Stabia, Roma, Room 104: p.54-55. (Room 104 is the same as our Room 13).
Opus
Sectile floor on display in room CXLII on First floor in Naples Museum. June
2024. Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella.
This has been taken from the other end of the mosaic from the above photo.
Opus
Sectile floor on display in room CXLII on First floor in Naples Museum. June
2024. Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella.
Detail from lower corner
Opus
Sectile floor on display in room CXLII on First floor in Naples Museum. June
2024.
Detail
of floor. Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella.
Stabiae, Secondo Complesso, 1976. Partially excavated peristyle garden.
Looking east from triclinium 13 along north portico from doorway in east wall, with two windows overlooking peristyle.
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.
J76f0527
Stabiae, Secondo Complesso, September 2015. Room 13, looking south across room.
Stabiae, Secondo Complesso, September 2015. Room 13, east wall with doorway to room 1, the peristyle, with two windows.
Stabiae, Secondo Complesso, September 2015. Room 13, doorway and two windows in east wall overlooking peristyle.
Stabiae, Secondo Complesso, September 2015. Room 13, south-east corner.
Stabiae, Secondo Complesso, September 2015. Room 13, south wall.
Stabiae, Secondo Complesso, May 2010. Room 13, south wall. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
Stabiae, Secondo Complesso, September 2015. Room 13, remains of central painting in south wall.
Stabiae, Secondo Complesso, September 2015. Room 13, south wall and south-west corner.
Stabiae, Secondo Complesso, September 2015. Room 13, west wall.
Stabiae, Secondo Complesso, September 2015. Room 13, west wall.
Stabiae, Secondo Complesso, September 2015. Marble threshold in doorway in west wall, between rooms 13 and 14.
Stabiae, Secondo Complesso, September 2015. Room 13, north wall with large doorway through to room 12.
Stabiae, Secondo Complesso, September 2015.
Room 13, detail of painted decoration on north wall in north-east corner.
Stabiae, Secondo Complesso. Room 13, fresco of lower part of a wall and zoccolo.
In the lowest part are two dancing centaurs, a female on the left and a male on the right.
Antiquarium Stabiano, inventory number - 64264.
See Otium Ludens, curated by Guzzo, P, Bonifacio, G, and Sodo, A.M. (2007). Castellammare di Stabia: Nicola Longobardi, p. 135.
Stabiae, Secondo Complesso. Room 13, fresco of boar hunt.
Antiquarium Stabiano, inventory number - 64818.
See Otium Ludens, curated by Guzzo, P,
Bonifacio, G, and Sodo, A.M. (2007). Castellammare di Stabia: Nicola
Longobardi, p. 136.
Stabiae, Secondo Complesso. Room 13, fresco of painted leopard/panther.
Antiquarium Stabiano inventory number - 63870.
See Otium Ludens, curated by Guzzo, P,
Bonifacio, G, and Sodo, A.M. (2007). Castellammare di Stabia: Nicola
Longobardi, p. 133.
Stabiae, Secondo Complesso. Room 13, fresco of female head on black background.
Antiquarium Stabiano, inventory number - 64280
Stabiae, Secondo Complesso, September 2015.
Room 12, white mosaic with two black stripes on south side of room, with doorway into room 13.
Stabiae, Secondo Complesso, June 2019.
Room 12, mosaic floor and threshold on east side of doorway to room 13. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
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