South Wall

Renée Forsell

The wall consists of two architecturally different part located on each side of the opening into the fauces. The E side is built in op. incertum consisting of mostly limestone, lava and some cruma, spolia and occasional tufa stones. The corner towards the door opening is built of large limestone blocks. Tiles are making the level of the reconstructed part around and above the door opening. The original pinkish mortar has partly been over coated by modern grey mortar. There is a square hole in the wall, 10x10cm, located at the height of 2.33m and 0.5m from the W corner. The W part of the wall has originally been built in op. incertum and consists mainly of lava, limestone and cruma with some tufa. The uppermost part consisting of lava and cruma is reconstructed. The mortar is mostly yellowish buff.
The W section from the corner towards the fauces is built in op. testacium up to the height of the lintel block. The two top layers are modern. The upper part of the brickwork shows that there were ones a window that has later been closed. The window was placed at the height of c 2.32m above floor level and 0.54m from the corner towards the fauces. Further, a small square recess is seen close to floor level. There is also a relieving arch built with voussoirs of tiles and tufa bricks. The transition from tiles to tufa is not visible as the only patch of remaining wall plaster, very rough and grey, is covering it. There are also small remains of plaster along the W corner. Further, plaster can be seen along the floor. This continues c 30 cm down and corresponds with a lower floor level.

A thick layer of mortar and very rough, dirty grey plaster covers the lower part of the wall E of the fauces. It continues behind the heart that was built in front of the wall. A patch of plaster coating is also covering the top limestone block in the door opening. Along the W edge towards the fauces the plaster is made to protrude c. 1 cm. It may have been made to form a plaster pilaster, which would frame the door.