East Wall

Thomas Staub

E wall: w: 3.25 m, max. preserved h: 2.90 m. At 0.35 m from the N-E corner, a niche is set into the wall. The stripe between the corner and the niche is made of opus incertum of mainly Sarno stone, set into a yellowish mortar. The arched apsidal niche, which is set 0.35 m above floor level, is max. 2.30 m high and 0.20 m deep, the springer is at 2.35 m h above the floor. The central part of the back wall of the niche is reconstructed in modern times (cf. description corridor h², W wall), the preserved original parts are made of mixed opus incertum with Sarno stone, cruma, lava and shards of ceramics and spolias of plaster, set into a yellowish mortar. The arched crown of the niche is made of obliquely standing blocks of Sarno stone, at least covered and reinforced by modern concrete or as a complete modern reconstruction. The rounded inner sides of the niche are partly covered by a reddish waterproof plaster. Against this plaster, tegolae mammatae were set, which are preserved at the bottom. These are partly covered with a layer of plaster, at the southern side with ceramic shards pressed into it. The bottom of the niche is made of bricks.
The southern part of the wall is up to 2.00 m is, once more, made of a mixed opus incertum, containing mainly Sarno stone, but also cruma, lava, tuff and spolias of cocciopesto, plaster and tiles, all set into a yellowish plaster. The zone above 2.00 m h is reinforced in modern times.