Threshold

Thomas Staub

Threshold between room g and peristyle b:
The threshold consists of three blocks of travertine. The central one is a narrow rectangle (2.21 x 0.275 m) placed in the east side of the door opening and on both sides flanked by side slabs (southern: 0.25 x 0.43 m, northern: 0.23 x 0.385 m) which projects further into the door opening than the central block. Both side slabs show a square indentation, in the southern one 0.14 m from the south edge, 0.145 m from the west edge, 0.09 x 0.09 x 0.005 m large, in the northern slab 0.155 from the north edge, 0.11 m from the west edge, 0.09 x 0.085 x 0.005 m large with faint remains of iron. The central slab shows three indentations in its northern part:, 1: 0.135 m from the west edge, 0.1 m from the north edge, 0.08 x 0.025 x 0.025 m, 2: 0.135 m from the west edge, 0.27 m from the north edge, 0.08 x 0.025 x 0.025 m, 3: 0.18 m from the west edge, 0.35 m from the north edge, 0.025 x 0.04 x 0.025 m.

Threshold in eastern doorway between room g and corridor h1
This threshold is composed of several stone slabs, the largest and central one of travertine, the other of white marble. The travertine slab seems to be part of a reused threshold block, similar to the ones observed in this house around the atrium. The base form is rectangular, with the inner, northern corners cut off, so that the narrow sides have an L- respectively a mirrored L-form. The marble slabs are than put in position against the travertine one in these empty spaces. Compared with the threshold in situ around the atrium the block here is missing the lower part, over which the doors could swing and only the upper part of the original threshold has been reused. Some indentation can be observed, which in its original state probably were related to the wooden casing of door frames. The slab is max. 1.86 m, min. 1.36 m x 0.29 m large. The indentations on the west side are: 1: slot in w-e direction, starting at the cut off corner, 0.11 m from the north edge, 0.12 x 0.025 x 0.02 m, 2: trapezoid slot in n-s direction, 0.11 m from the west edge, 0.055 from the north edge, 0.04 x 0.055 x 0.02 m, 3: in line with indentation 1, 0.15 from the west edge, 0.055 x 0.015 x 0.01 m. On the east side: 1: slot in e-w direction, starting at the cut off corner, 0.12 m from the north edge, 0.13 x 0.03 x 0.02 m, 2: trapezoid slot in n-s direction, 0.11 m from the east edge, 0.08 from the north edge, 0.04 x 0.055 x 0.02 m, 3: in line with indentation 1, 0.15 from the east edge, 0.055 x 0.02 x 0.01 m. The marble slab on the west side (0.16 x 0.42 m), made of a slightly greyish marble is broken into two pieces. The slab shows one indentation, probably for pivot socket, 0.25 m from the north edge, 0.06 m from the east edge, 0.085 x 0.085 x 0.01 m with remains of iron. Another marble slab is placed in front of the south wall of room g, attached the one in the door, 0.22 x 0.09 m large. The marble slab on the east side (0.225 x 0.405 m) is made of the same material and also broken into two parts. The pivot hole is placed slightly askew 0.14 â€" 0.15 m from the north edge, 0.06 â€" 0.08 m from the west edge, 0.08 x 0.095 m with remains of iron. A narrow slot runs from n-e to s-w, 0.28 â€" 0.34 m from the north edge, 0.095 â€" 0.055 m from the west edge, 0.06 x 0.02 x 0.015 m large. Finally the slab also shows a round indentation (diam. 0.03 m, 0.03 m deep), 0.345 m from the north edge, 0.085 m from the west edge.

Threshold in western doorway between room g and corridor h
The threshold is made of one block of travertine (1.01 x 0.49 m), which on both sides are built-over by the doorframes (on the west side 0.03 m, on the east side 0.06 m, projecting for 0.05 m into room g). The numerous indentations and there partly irregular location indicates, that this threshold has had several phases of utilisation. The threshold is equipped with a doorstop on the south side (towards the corridor) with the rim 0.085 m from the south edge (0.025 m high). Two pairs of boltholes can be observed in the southern, lower part of the threshold. The first, probably earlier pair is placed further towards the east, i.e. not arranged centrically in relation to the length of the block (1: 0.505 m from the west edge, 0.045 from the south edge, 0.03 x 0.03 m, 2: 0.175 from the east edge, 0.045 from the south edge, 0.03 x 0.03 m). They were later taken out of and filled up with a mixture of rubble and mortar. Their position indicates the threshold block originally was longer and later shortened at its east side. The second pair: 1: 0.35 m from the west edge, 0.025 from the south edge, 0.05 x 0.04 x 0.035 m, 2: 0.36 m from the east edge, 0.015 m from the south edge, 0.05 x 0.05 x 0.02 m. Also the higher, northern part of the threshold shows several indentations: the first ones are a pair of rectangular indentations situated approx. in the middle of the width of the door opening: 1: at the western doorframe, 0.04 m from the doorstop, 0.03 x 0.06 m, partly filled up with modern concrete, 2: at the eastern doorframe, 0.045 m from the doorstop, 0.04 x 0.07 x 0.02 m. Another pair of indentations, this time oval, is situated near the northern edge of the block: 1: 0.07 m from the west edge, 0.03 from the north edge, diam. approx. 0.05, 0.005 m deep, 2: 0.12 m from the east edge, 0.05 from the north edge, max. 0.045 x 0.065 x 0.005 m. The last two indentations are round and situated near the two oval ones: 1: 0.065 from the west edge, 0.09 from the north edge, diam. 0.045 m, depth 0.005 m, 2: 0.08 m from the east edge, 0.115 m from the north edge, diam. 0.05 m, depth 0.005 m. Both indentations preserve annular remains of iron.