Casa del Fabbro (I 10,7)

Abstract

The doorposts and the walls of the entranceway to this house were coarsely plastered and the pavement was of lavapesta. The walls have been much restored since excavation, prohibiting the identification of any breaches that might provide evidence for disturbance. Outside the entrance, on the west side, is a low, plastered, masonry bench (1.57 m × 0.38 m × 0.42 m), which Elia identified as a seat for waiting clients. Within the entranceway, a few centimetres above the pavement, a number of finds were made. These were all of iron—a large lock, two hooks, a handle, two keys, at least one door latch and numerous studs and nails—and no doubt mainly the fittings for the house door. One of the keys was large and probably a door key. Its discovery here suggests that the occupants were still in residence, or at least had not had the time or inclination to lock up their house, before fleeing from the eruption. A small ring was also found in this entranceway, and was probably a lost finger-ring. This room is closed to the street but almost completely open along its east side onto the entranceway. The walls had a high, pink-plastered socle, to 1.6 m above the pavement, with white plaster above, and the pavement was of tiles and mortar. There are breaches in the west and south walls, possibly the result of post-eruption disturbance. A stairway ran along the north wall, rising from east to west. Underneath was a low partition wall jutting out at right angles from the west wall, to partition off a latrine in the north-west corner. This partition wall post-dates the plaster on the west wall. A line of roof tiles, set into the floor and running from this partition wall to the south jamb on the east wall, is assumed to have been for flushing the latrine. A truncated amphora, with visible organic contents, was set into the pavement in the south-east corner. Other finds from this room, but with no precise provenances, include: two relatively small bronze strap hinges, possibly from furniture; a bronze casseruola; two ceramic jugs; a hoe, probably for gardening; an axehead, probably a woodman’s; and a bronze brooch.