92. HGW24 Pompeii. Villa of
Diomedes or Villa di Diomede.
Part 1 Part
2 Part 3 Part
4 Part 5 Part
6 Part 7 Part
8 Part 9 Part
10 Part 11 Part
12 Plan
HGW24 Pompeii. c.1870 looking east from rear wall of garden.
Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.
HGW24 Pompeii. 19th century postcard. Looking east over garden wall across pergola supported by six columns.
Photo
courtesy of Rick Bauer.
HGW24 Pompeii. From
a coloured album by M. Amodio, dated c.1880. Looking east over garden
wall. Photo courtesy of
Rick Bauer.
HGW24 Pompeii. Album
by M. Amodio, c.1880, entitled “Pompei, destroyed on 23 November 79, discovered
in 1748”.
Looking east over garden wall. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.
HGW24 Pompeii. 19th
century card, Michel Amodio Cabinet Card no. 2962, maison du libert
M Arrius Diomede.
Looking east over
garden wall across pergola supported by six columns. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.
HGW24 Pompeii. c.1880s. Looking east over garden wall across
pergola supported by six columns. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.
HGW24 Pompeii. Album dated January 1874. Looking east over garden area towards Villa di Diomedes. Photo courtesy of
Rick Bauer.
HGW24 Pompeii. From
an album by Roberto Rive, dated 1868. Looking east over garden area. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.
HGW24 Pompeii. May 2010. Looking east over garden wall towards the large room/loggia on the upper floor.
This photo
was taken from the road, and the masonry wall is the west wall of the portico
area.
HGW24 Pompeii. April 2019. Looking east across garden from gate in centre of west wall. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.
HGW24 Pompeii. September 2007. Looking east into garden,
through gate in centre of west wall. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.
According
to the plan by La Vega, no.12 would have been found inside this gate on the
west portico, and on the opposite side of the west portico no.83 was found.
(Villa Diomedes
Project – area 63).
(Fontaine,
portico 5c).
From PAH 1,1, p.255-6, 25th May 1771, and addendum 121 and 156: (See No.12 below, on the plan by La Vega).
We continue the excavation in the dwelling outside of the city gate, and in the portico that surrounds the garden of it, we have found two human skeletons; one of these held an iron key (lunga on.7) in his hand, and had a gold ring on his finger a ring formed by a portion of a circle and two snake heads. Near to the same skeleton, gold silver and bronze coins were found (for detailed list see PAH, 1,1, page 255-6).
All the listed coins were found wrapped up inside a cloth, of which we have been able to take a piece to send it to the Museum.
PAH, addendum, p.121 –
Relazione delle antichita, che si
vanno ritrovando nella masseria del sig. D. Giovanni Milano parsonaro, che si
era principiata al di 14 Febbraro 1771. (Report of Antiquities found.....)
“No.12. A di 22 maggio 1771. Si e trovato uno
scheletro con una chiave di ferro in una mano, e nell’altra un anello d’oro,
cioe una verga che termina ai suoi estremi in teste di serpe che si
congiungono; il suo diam. era on. 1. Vicino a questo si e trovato un involto di
tela, e n.88 monete di argento di diam. min.4 e min.3 ½ tutte delle descritte
misure, ma con diverse rappresentanze. Piu n.10 monete di oro di diam. min.4
vantaggiate, e sopra come siegue – ecc.”
(vede p.121per l’elenco).
PAH addendum, p.156 - 25 Maggio 1771 – Altri due scheletri con chiave e monete nel detto portico del
giardino della casa di campagna; no.12 pianta di La Vega.
PAH 1,1, p.257, 13th July 1771, and addendum 121 and 157: La Vega 12.
We have worked in the building outside of the Gate, lifting the earth from above to detect a colonnade, of which you can already see the top in a garden surrounded by porticoes. This colonnade is in the middle of the floor of the garden, as you know, we have not yet been able to completely clear out the soil, which covers it in large quantities.
PAH 1,1, p.276, 15th January 1774: addendum p.131 and p.159 (See No. 83 below, on the plan by La Vega).
We have worked in the said house outside of the city, and here we have found a piece of a silver vase/pot with a portion of a bas-relief figure and other light decorations, which is to be believed part of one found in many fragments at different times, and particularly in the month of August in the past year.
From PAH, addendum, p.131 –
Relazione delle antichita, che si
vanno ritrovando nella masseria del sig. D. Giovanni Milano parsonaro, che si
era principiata al di 14 Febbraro 1771. (Report of Antiquities found.....)
“No.83. A di 13 gennaio 1774. Si e trovato un
pezzo di vaso di argento, come un fondo di bicchiere, e vi sono alcune parti
delle figure che vi erano, essendo intiero. Questo si e trovato tra la terra da
noi buttata, e questa terra non dubiterei che fosse pure la cavata nel rapporto
de’ 14 febbraio 1771, e che tutti quei pezzi fossero di piu spezie di vasi.”
From PAH addendum, p.159 - 15 Gennaio 1774 – Vaso di argento rotto in vari pezzi nella detta casa suburbana; no 83
pianta di La Vega.
HGW24 Pompeii. 1859, drawing from The Illustrated News of the World, p.204.
HGW24 Pompeii. Drawing c.1840 looking east from rear wall of garden.
The original carriage entrance to Pompeii can be seen on the
left. Photo courtesy of Rick
Bauer.
HGW24 Pompeii. c.1825, “The Villa of Diomede”, painting by Carl Georg Enslen.
Villa of Diomedes, Pompeii. October 2023.
Looking north-east across garden pergola, at the rear of the
large apsed pool, seen from west portico. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.
Villa Diomedes Project – area 89, garden pergola).
(Villa Diomedes Project – area 90, large apsed pool).
(Fontaine – garden pool and pergola, unnumbered).
HGW24 Pompeii. December 2006. Garden pergola, at the rear of the large apsed pool, seen from west portico.
(Villa Diomedes Project – area 89, garden pergola).
(Villa Diomedes Project – area 90, large apsed pool).
(Fontaine – garden pool and pergola, unnumbered).
According to
Soprano –
Ubicazione:
giardino.
Bibliog.
Maiuri-Pane, Monumenti italiani editi a cura dell’ Accad. Dei Lincei,
Serie II, fasc. I, p. 46, tav.14;
Fiorelli, op. c.,
p. 142;
Niccolini, II,
p.12;
Overbeck-Mau,
p.375.
Nel giardino,
su di un vasto podio rettangolare, s’innalzano colonne destinate a sostenere un
pergolato che dava ombra a letti tricliniari di legno.
Sull’ asse del
podio si apre una ampia e profonda piscina con nicchie.
See Soprano, P.
(1950). I triclini all’aperto di Pompei. (In Pompeiana, raccolta di
studi per il secondo centenario degli scavi di Pompei. Napoli, Gaetano
Macchiaroli, Editore, p.308, no.35.
HGW24 Pompeii. Villa of Diomedes. March 2024.
Looking east over garden across pergola supported by six columns. Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella.
HGW24 Pompeii. Villa of Diomedes. August 2023.
Looking east over garden across pergola supported by six columns towards pool. Photo courtesy of Maribel Velasco.
HGW24 Pompeii. December 2006. Looking east over garden across pergola supported by six columns.
According to Jashemski, at the rear of the pool was a raised dining area, shaded by a large vine-covered pergola.
See Jashemski, W. F., 1993. The Gardens of Pompeii, Volume II: Appendices. New York: Caratzas. (p.281).
The area of La Vega’s no. 13 (between top two columns, on right), no.14 on left of photo, (in north-west corner of pergola) and no.79 (approximately near the palm-tree, on the left) can all be seen.
From PAH,1,1, p.257, 13th July 1771
We have worked in the building outside of the Gate, lifting the earth from above to detect a colonnade, of which you can already see the top in a garden surrounded by porticoes. This colonnade is in the middle of the floor of the garden, as you know, we have not yet been able to completely clear out the soil, which covers it in large quantities.
From PAH 1,1, p.257, 27th July 1771, and addendum 121 and 157: (See No. 13 below, on plan by La Vega).
Discovering then the said enclosure of columns as far as its floor, which was in the middle of the garden as stated, we observed that this floor was raised somewhat from the garden that surrounded it, paved with white mosaic with some black stripes; on which three sheets of lead, approximately 0.79m x 0.26m were found, all battered and dented.
Amongst the excavated soil of the portico surrounding the garden, were found – (for list see PAH,1,1, p.257)
From PAH, addendum, p.121 –
Relazione delle antichita, che si
vanno ritrovando nella masseria del sig. D. Giovanni Milano parsonaro, che si
era principiata al di 14 Febbraro 1771. (Report of Antiquities found.....)
“No.13. A di 25 luglio 1771. Il
pavimento di musaico bianco con alcune lenze nere in riquadro. Tra le colonne
si sono trovate tre piastre, lunghe pal. 3, larghe pal. 1, di piombo.”
From PAH Addendum, p.157 - 27 Luglio 1771 – Musaico di cui era lastricato il recinto di colonne, in mezzo al
giardino della menzionata casa suburbana; no.13 pianta di La Vega.
PAH, addendum, p.122 –
Relazione delle antichita, che si
vanno ritrovando nella masseria del sig. D. Giovanni Milano parsonaro, che si
era principiata al di 14 Febbraro 1771. (Report of Antiquities found.....)
“No.14. A di 25 luglio 1771. Si sono trovate 4
scive di bronzo, ed altre due si trovarono nel portico sparse nella terra, come
ancora 3 monete dello stesso metallo, che per la ruggine non si distinguono,
due di esse di diam. on 1 ½; la terza di diam. min.4. Un pezzetto di
cucchiarino anche di bronzo. Un pezzetto come di corallo bianco.”
According to Fontaine, the North-west side of area with columns in middle of garden.
From PAH,1,1, p. 275-6, 11th December 1773 (See No.79 below, on the plan by La Vega).
Excavating in the said dwelling, amongst the ruins of the loggia, we have found a piece of lead conduit (pipe), with square sheet/plate (approximately 0.59m) for each side, and also another two sheets/plates of the same metal.”
From PAH, addendum, p.131 –
Relazione delle antichita, che si
vanno ritrovando nella masseria del sig. D. Giovanni Milano parsonaro, che si
era principiata al di 14 Febbraro 1771. (Report of Antiquities found.....)
“No.79. A di 9 decembre 1773. Si e
trovato tra le rovine della loggia, dietro il giardino, un pezzo di condotto di
piombo con piastra nell’imboccatura, di lungh. pal 2 ¼,
diam. on. 3 ½. Ed altre due piastre dello stesso, tutte ammaccate.”
From PAH, addendum, p.159 - 11 Decembre 1773 – No. 79 pianta di La Vega.
Villa of Diomedes, Pompeii. March 2024.
Looking south-east across garden pergola, and towards upper floor with view over garden, seen from west portico.
Photo courtesy of
Giuseppe Ciaramella.
Villa of Diomedes, Pompeii. October 2023. Looking
south-east across garden pergola, seen from west portico. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.
HGW24 Pompeii. October 2012.
Looking east over garden wall, across the garden towards the loggia/exedra on the upper floor. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.
HGW24 Pompeii. Undated photograph by Mauri, numbered 020. Looking east across garden. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.
HGW24 Pompeii. From an Album
dated 1882.
Looking east towards the large room/loggia on the upper
floor, with rooms below. Photo courtesy of
Rick Bauer.
HGW24 Pompeii. Photograph by Sommer, c.1870s. Looking east
across garden to villa. Photo
courtesy of Rick Bauer.
HGW24 Pompeii. Between 1867 and 1874.
Looking east across garden to villa. Photo by Sommer and Behles. Photo courtesy of
Charles Marty.
HGW24 Pompeii. Stereoview by Sommer & Behles,
c.1860-1870s. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.
HGW24 Pompeii. Written postcard on the rear of the above
stereoview, not dated.
“Villa and
garden from which I bought two large lemons on one stem.
Two stories
high. On the lower were baths, dining room, gallery overlooking the garden,
reception room, and an open loggia which overlooked the sea. Underneath were
the cellars, also a long underground archway. In it are several wine jugs
against the wall, fixed there by volcanic deposit. In it was found a skeleton
supposed to have been that of Diomedes and one supposed to have been his
attendant, the former having had a purse of 100 gold and silver coins, the
other the key of the villa. In the cellars 18 skeletons were found. It is
supposed the family fled there for safety. The lava hardened up on their
bodies.”
At the top
is a stamp sized piece of green/yellow paper embossed with WG No (or GW No) in
an oval. The W and G are superimposed.
Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.
Villa of Diomedes. 1819 drawing of view across villa.
See Cooke, Cockburn and Donaldson, 1827. Pompeii Illustrated: Vol. 2. London: Cooke, pl. 50 or 53.
HGW24 Pompeii. Between 1808-1815. Joachim Murat visits the garden of the Villa of Diomedes, drawing by Louis Nicolas Lemasle.
Now in the Certosa e Museo Nazionale di San Martino. Inventory number 7595.
Looking south along the garden side of the west portico towards the south-west corner.
Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella.
HGW24 Pompeii. March 2024. Looking south-east along the west portico. Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Ciaramella.
HGW24 Pompeii. December 2006. Looking south along the west portico towards the south-west corner.
There would have been a turret in both the south-west and north-west corners of the peristyle.
Both of these turrets would have given a magnificent view of the sea.
(Villa Diomedes Project – area 63, from near area 87, in north-west corner).
(Fontaine, from near 5,2b, near west wall of garden peristyle).
Nos 9, 10, from the plan by La Vega, would have been found in this level of the west portico.
No.11, from the plan by La Vega, was found just outside the west wall, on the right.
PAH, addendum, p.120 – 121, (See No.9 below, on plan by La Vega).
Relazione delle antichita, che si
vanno ritrovando nella masseria del sig. D. Giovanni Milano parsonaro, che si
era principiata al di 14 Febbraro 1771. (Report of Antiquities found.....)
“No.9. A di 25 aprile 1771. Si e trovato un
pozonetto con suo manico di diam. on.7, alto min.8, lungo il manico on.6. Un
tondu serrato nel fondo, per lo gioco dell’asse di qualche porta; questo e alto
on.2 ¼, di diam. on.2. Un pezzo di mascatura con il chiavistello. N.11 grappe e
2 chiodi. Tutto di bronzo.”
From PAH, addendum, p.121 – (See No.10 below, on plan by La Vega).
(Fontaine, west side of garden peristyle).
Relazione delle antichita, che si
vanno ritrovando nella masseria del sig. D. Giovanni Milano parsonaro, che si
era principiata al di 14 Febbraro 1771. (Report of Antiquities found.....)
“No.10. A di 2 maggio 1771. Si sono trovati
due scheletri, di uno di essi si conserva la testa, per essere interamente con
la dentatura; vicino a questi si e trovato come segue: Cinque monete con teste
circondate di lettere, una di diam. on.1½, dall’altra parte v’e una figura
all’impiedi con panneggio, e con la mano sinistra porta qualche cosa, e con
S.C; altra maggiore, che da una parte vi e una figura all’ignuda all’impiedi;
terza di diam. on. 1½, che per la ruggine non si distingue; quarta di diam.
min.6, che nel rovescio vi pare una figura sedente con S.C; quinta di diam.
simile, che non si distingue. Due piastre di bronzo quadrate di on 2 e 2/3 in
quadro fondate, pel gioco degli assi di qualche porta. Un chiavistello di
lungh. on. 5 ½. Un pezzetto con del legno, che non si conosce. Tre grappe della
lungh. on. 6. Un pezzo di chiodo; il tutto era di bronzo. Certi pezzetti come
fosse un legno legato con certe cordicelle.”
From PAH Addendum, p.156 - 4 Maggio
1771 – Due scheletri con monete nel
portico del giardino della casa di campagna detta di Diomede; no.10 pianta di
La Vega.
From PAH,
addendum, p.121 – (See No.11 below, on plan by La Vega).
Relazione delle antichita, che si
vanno ritrovando nella masseria del sig. D. Giovanni Milano parsonaro, che si
era principiata al di 14 Febbraro 1771. (Report of Antiquities found.....)
“No.11. A di 16 maggio 1771. Si e trovato una
sciva di bronzo, con del legno attaccato”.
(Fontaine, near west wall of garden peristyle, possibly outside of wall).
In the cellar, below the far end of the west portico, nos. 81 and 82 from the La Vega plan were found, towards the south-west corner, (previously mentioned).
In the cellar below the west portico of the garden, nos. 74 and 75 from the La Vega plan were found at this end of it, towards the north-west corner.
(Fontaine,
Lower level, west side of cryptoporticus, below Fontaine’s 5c).
From PAH,1,1, p.274 – 31 luglio 1773 – (See No.74 below, on plan by La Vega).
We continue for more weeks to remove the soil outside and inside of the wall, which surrounds the garden of the house already mentioned, and together this week we have worked in the corridor, which runs around the same garden on the floor below…….ecc.
From PAH,
addendum, p.131 –
Relazione delle antichita, che si vanno ritrovando nella masseria del sig.
D. Giovanni Milano parsonaro, che si era principiata al di 14 Febbraro 1771. (Report of Antiquities found.....)
“No.74. A di 29 luglio 1773. Si e
trovata una sciva di bronzo. Una quantita di langelloni di creta ordinaria, la
maggior parte rotti e lesionati. Tra i sani ve n’era uno, che ha da un lato la
seguente iscrizione –
dall’altro vi e B I A; queste
lettere sono dipinte nere.”
From PAH, addendum, p.131
– (No.75 on plan by La Vega).
Relazione delle antichita, che si
vanno ritrovando nella masseria del sig. D. Giovanni Milano parsonaro, che si
era principiata al di 14 Febbraro 1771. (Report of Antiquities found....)
“No.75. A di 5 agosto 1773. Si sono
trovati una quantita di langelloni, parte erano per sopra la lava, ed altri di
maggior numero restano in quel luogo fissi, appoggiati a quella muraglia.”
From PAH, addendum, p.159 - 31 Luglio 1773 – No. 74
pianta di La Vega. Gran quantita d’idrie trovate nel cripto-portico suddetto;
no. 75 pianta di La Vega.
Villa of Diomedes, Pompeii. October 2023.
North-west corner of west portico, looking towards doorway into tower
room (5,2b), in centre. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.
HGW24 Pompeii. December 2006.
Remains of the lower level of one of the covered towers which would have been on the two corners facing the Bay.
Both of these towers would have given a magnificent view of the sea.
From interior, looking north towards the north-east corner of the tower in the north-west corner of the garden.
(Villa Diomedes Project – room below area 87 in north-west corner of garden portico).
(Fontaine, Lower level, in room of cryptoporticus in NW corner, below Fontaine’s room 5,2b).
From PAH 1,1, p.278, 30th July 1774: addendum p.132 and p.160 (See No. 88 in the lower level of the cellar, on the plan by La Vega).
We have worked to excavate a room of the same house, this
room was in the floor…(quale stanza resta
nel piano del territoria). We have found in this a skeleton with a silver
ring on its finger, formed by a piece that ends with two serpents’ heads, but
broken, and with a bronze arm bracelet, which has been sent to the Royal Museum
together with a bone from the same arm, which was united to a mass of earth;
near to the skeleton, a large iron knife for carrying was found, and a red
terracotta bowl (diameter 0.18m, and 0.05m high) (con merco nel fondo di una norma di piede).
From PAH, addendum, p.132 –
Relazione delle antichita, che si
vanno ritrovando nella masseria del sig. D. Giovanni Milano parsonaro, che si
era principiata al di 14 Febbraro 1771. (Report of Antiquities found.....)
“No.88. A di 28 luglio 1774. Si e trovato uno
scheletro con braccialetto, ossia manizza che pare di bronzo, fissato nel
braccio. Un anello come di argento, che termina come in due teste di serpe, ed
e rotto. Un roncillo di ferro. Una ciotola di creta sottile alta on. 2 ½ diam.
on. 8, e nel fondo vi e un merco che non si distingue.”
From PAH addendum, p.160 - 30 Luglio 1774 – Scheletro
con anello di argento ed armilla di bronzo; no.88 pianta di La Vega.
HGW24 Pompeii. 1915. From exterior, looking south-east from the north-west turret/tower. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.
HGW24 Pompeii. April 2019.
Looking east along north exterior side of Villa, with turret/tower
room, on right. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.
HGW24 Pompeii. April 2019.
Exterior of tower/turret room in north-west corner and looking
south along west exterior side. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.
HGW24 Pompeii. October 2012.
Looking towards the exterior of the north-west turret, on left, from the road. Photo courtesy of Michael Binns.
HGW24 Pompeii. 1957.
Looking south along the exterior west wall near the roadway Via Villa dei Misteri. Photo by Stanley Jashemski.
The turret in the north-west corner is on the lower left of the photo.
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.
HGW24 Pompeii. July 2010. Looking south towards remains of
turret outside north-west corner. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.
HGW24 Pompeii. Stereoview by R. Rive, c.1870s. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.
HGW24 Pompeii. 19th century stereo view. Looking south-east from exterior side of north portico.
On the right, in the north-west corner of the garden, would have been a turret for views of the sea. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.
HGW24 Pompeii. Stereoview by Sommer & Behles, c.1860-1870s. Photo courtesy of Rick Bauer.
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12 Plan