East Wall
Description
A. Karivieri & R. Forsell
DESCRIPTION
The wall was built in opus incertum and consists mainly of limestone, cruma and lava, some yellow tufa, one piece of terracotta in the mortar in the upper part. In the SE corner, the refilled posticum can be discerned; in the N doorpost a piece of terracotta can be discerned in the mortar. The lower part of the wall, up to the level of 2.0 m protrudes ca 10 cm in comparison to the upper part.
The preserved plaster is very thick, preserved in the N part up to 1.70 m, in the SE corner height 1.25 m. In the centre, the Unterputz is visible, unevenly laid.
The SE corner of the wall was damaged in the earthquake 62 AD. The refilled door opening, the porticum, is older than the plaster decoration destroyed AD 62. The piece of dado that slided behind the plaster of the S wall is behind the restored part of the pavement in the S part of the room. It seems that the damaged plaster had not been repaired or repainted before AD 79.
Wall-plaster
Upper zone
The upper zone is not preserved.
Main zone
The white main zone was divided in three parts by two narrow panels with candelabra as in other walls, flanked by red bands. The best preserved part, the N panel, has remains of red frame.
Dado
The red dado is 68 cm high, with similar design as in the N wall, as well as in room t. The SE corner has been damaged in the earthquake AD 62, and part of the dado fell behind the plaster of the S wall, showing a gap of ca 35 cm at largest nearest to the S wall of the dado design (see photo). Two dolphins are clearly visible in S part, part of vegetal motifs in the side panels and yellow girlands. The vegetal motifs of the side panels in the dado have yellow and blue-coloured leaves.
State of preservation
There are three small holes at the height of ca 1.75 cm, first in SE corner, second 70 cm to N, third 85 cm from the second to N; preseumably marking the earlier upper edge of preserved wall-plaster.
The E wall has been reconstructed to a higher level to support the modern roof after 2004 (see photos).
Length: 2.97 m (from wall to wall). Height: 4.21 m.
In the SE corner, the refilled posticum: width 55 cm, height 2.05 m.
