North Wall

Thomas Staub

N wall: width 6.20 m, max. preserved height 5.20 m (eastern part, above 4.05 m high, modern reconstruction). Here the floor level is about 1.25 m over the filling layer in the cellar, the upper side of threshold in the door towards corridor h1 is placed at 1.45 m height. The complete wall is much restored in modern times and, where the plaster is not preserved, covered by modern concrete. At 0.70 - 0.80 m height, again a row of 14 holes for the beams, supporting the floor of the upper room, is visible, 0.10 - 0.20 m large with modern concrete on their sides. Up to floor level, the wall consists of a mixed opus incertum of Sarno stone, cruma and lava, in 1.20 m height, with a row of spolias from bricks and ceramic. The mortar is, because of the concrete, not determinable.
Above the floor level, large parts of the wall, especially in the west, are covered by plaster, in parts with fine plaster (without any traces of decorations) and in parts by under plaster, showing the traces of the trowel. The wall seems to consist of the same material as the others but is, where the plaster is not preserved, covered by modern concrete. Only in some central parts of the wall, the yellowish mortar can be observed. At the north-east part corner, the 1.90 m wide and 2.45 m high door to corridor h1 is situated, topped by a modern lintel and framed by at least modern repaired parts, which are made up of mainly Sarno stone blocks and pieces, between fist large and 0.25 x 0.15 m in size.