North Wall

Thomas Staub

N wall: w: 8.54 m.
Western part (between foundation for cupboard in ala14 and opening towards tablinum13): width: 2.95 m, max. preserved height: 4.60 m. The westernmost part (to the western frame of the niche of the faked door towards room 18) is constructed in opus incertum, in the lower part up to 2.8 m height of lava, the upper part of cruma, all set into reddish mortar. In 2.8 m height, a Sarno stone block (0.4 x 0.2 m) is placed into the incertum. Plaster with faint traces of colour still covers parts of the wall (mainly between 0.6 and 2.8 m height). The frame of the niche of the faked door is built of standers and stretchers of Sarno stone and is partly covered by a thin layer of preparatory plaster. Since the threshold of travertine is placed against the frames and not under, there are no cuttings off at the lower blocks. The lowest block is a stander, 0.25 x 1.38 m, the next a stretcher, height: 0.50 m, width: not discernible because of the plaster. Then follows a stander, 0.25 x 0.95 m, then a stretcher, 0.85 x 0.55 m, into which, in 3.35 m height, and 0.35 m from the corner to the niche, a 0.1 x 0.1 m large hole has been inserted. On top of this stretcher follows one more stander, 0.3 x 0.68 m, on top of which the modern lintel is placed. On top of this, a discharge bow, mainly of Sarno stone blocks (0.15 x 0.1-0.2 m), but containing cruma as well, is probably constructed in modern times.
The niche of the closed off door towards room 18 is 1.31 m wide and 4.0 m high. Up to 1.5 - 1.7 m height, the wall is repaired in modern times. Above this zone it consists of a mixed opus incertum, containing mainly Sarno stone and cruma, set into a yellowish mortar.
The eastern part of this section, i.e. the post between the niche and the opening towards tablinum13, is constructed of Sarno stone blocks, partly covered by plaster. Here the vertical imprint after the wooden door frame at the eastern post at the closed off door towards room 18 is still visible in the thicker layer of fine plaster reaching max. to 0.2 m from the corner, whereas the layer of preparatory plaster in parts continues to the corner. The dimensions of the stone blocks could only be measured in parts, since much of the surface is covered by plaster. The width of this section is about 0.8 m. The first block is a stander, height 1.05 m, then one block with the height of 0.6 m, then two blocks side by side, 0.4 x 0.65 m, the eastern one bound with the W wall of tablinum13, then a stretcher, 0.8 x 0.6 m, then again two blocks side by side, 0.4 x 0.55 m, then a further stretcher, 0.8 x 0.55 m, above this finally, on the western side the modern lintel and on the eastern side, the probable modern reconstruction made by smaller, regular cut, mixed blocks. To the east of this part of the wall follows the 4.85 m wide opening towards tablinum13, which on both sides is accentuated by a 0.53 m wide, 0.016 m deep stuccoed pilaster.
The then following section between the entrance to tablinum13 and andron10 (width: 0.75 m), is, once again, built with large blocks of Sarno stone and is in large parts (up to 1.5 m height and again between 1.9 and 3.2 m height) covered with plaster, once more showing the vertical line in the plaster for the insertion of the wooden doorframe next to the door towards the corridor. The block at the bottom has a height of 0.5 m, with its lower edge towards the door cut off diagonally (0.15 x 0.15 m), the following block has a height of 0.65 m, then follows a stretcher (0.75 x 0.6 m), then two blocks side by side (0.37 x 0.75 m), then a 0.65 m high block, then two blocks side by side (0.35 and 0.40 m x 0.55 m), the eastern one protruding for app. 0.02 m out of the wall surface, the western one with remains of plaster with traces of pickings and bound with the E wall of tablinum13, then follows a stretcher (0.75 x 0.5 m) whose upper E corner is cut off for allowing the lintel to be laid in, and above this, to the west, one more block (0.4 x 0.4 m), which bounds into the E wall of the tablinum and to the east a modern reconstruction, continuing above lintel.