North Wall

Thomas Staub

North wall: width: 5.03 m, max. preserved height: 3.20 m (over the floor level of the peristyle). Two steps are leading up to the higher floor level of peristyle b, the lower one 0.35 m high and 0.38 m deep, the upper one 0.24 m high and 0.50 m deep, both with modern surfaces. The western part of the wall is 0.38 m wide, the door opening 0.55 m deep. The lowest part of the north-west corner is covered with plaster, next to it, a small area with lava-incertum is visible. The opening towards the peristyle is 4.17 m wide.
The eastern part of the north wall is 0.48 m wide. The north-east corner is made of lava-incertum in the reddish mortar (for an area of 0.30 x 0.80 m), whereas the frame of the door is made of a mixed opus incertum with lava, cruma, Sarno stone and spoils of the reddish mortar, set into a yellowish mortar. Above this, the frame consists of Sarno stone blocks between 0.15 - 0.10 m x 0.05 - 0.50 m large. The inner part, towards the north-east corner, is made of either Sarno stone blocks, bounding in from the doorpost, or with the same mixed opus incertum as in the lower part of the post. Modern mortar, containing amongst others lapilli, covers the area above 1.60 m height. In the opening, it is obvious that some of the Sarno stone blocks are reused, since also the sides going into the wall are covered with plaster.