Facade - Vicolo delle Nozze d'Argento

Henrik Boman

The northern facade of the insula is located along Vicolo delle Nozze d’Argento. In the following text it is the extension along V 1,13, i.e. the greater part of the facade, which is analysed.

The general technique of the facade is a lower section with opus quadratum, also functioning as foundation, with a superstructure built in limestone opus incertum (V-IV) with some few orthostates remaining of opus africanus in the eastern area (III). Between these areas the wall is completely destroyed (IV). The NW corner (VII) is built in opus quadratum, though the damage on this part of the wall after the 1980 earthquake is significant. (The line of stones is different so this area is labelled separately from the other ashlar part of the wall.)

Remains of three windows (W1-W3) can be seen; in the two winows of the western part (W2, W3) the sills and lintels are heavily restored, though the structure is clearly visible, whereas the eastern (W1) is today heavily destroyed and only faint traces of the frames can be seen. The windows are placed at approx. the same level (0.46-0.87 m) above the quadratum wall.

The blocks were labelled from east to west; the upper layer is numbered A-T running from the E, the lower blocks have an added 1 to the letter of the upper block (A1-N1).

The wall was divided into sections (running from E) depending on the techniques and the features found (see field drawing to the right).

In the eastern part a walled up door (II-IIA-IIB) is visible. The door was narrowed in one phase (IIA) and completely closed in a second (IIB).