Excavations of Herculaneum, reopen three Domus and the Suburban Baths

In Herculaneum, the House of the wooden partition, the Casa dei Cervi and the Sannitica house reopen to the public.

From Monday 1º May 2017, after eight months of detention, we will return to visit the three most beautiful domus of the Ercolano Archaeological Park (the “House of the wooden partition”, the “House of the deer” and the “Sannitica” one) and the suburban Baths (one of the most evocative public buildings in the area).

The closure of these places had not occurred for safety or restoration reasons but only because there was a shortage of surveillance personnel. This problem arose at the time Herculaneum was recognized as the "Archaeological Park of Herculaneum" and was separated from the superintendency of Pompeii which, among its staff, had reabsorbed some custodians and the staff of the Ales, leaving only 39 custodians instead of 72 as established by the Ministry for Cultural Heritage.

If today these places can be visited again we owe it to the stubbornness and tenacity of the Park director, the archaeologist Francesco Sirano, who, in addition to the reopening of the three Domus and the Baths, still has many projects for Herculaneum, for example. in a month the restoration works of the "Casa del Bicentenario" will begin with partnership interventions with the Getty Institute and the Packard Institute for Cultural Heritage, and as agreed, for three years the ordinary maintenance of all the structures of the site will be planned in order to avoid major restorations.

The archaeological excavations of Herculaneum have brought to light the remains of the ancient city of Herculaneum which was completely buried by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD. The layer of rock similar to tuff but much softer had protected homes, religious places, villas and public buildings. Many domus have been brought to light which are types of dwellings used in ancient Rome as the domicile of patrician families residing in Herculaneum. But let's see together which buildings can be visited from May 1st.

The Wooden Partition House

It dates back to the Republican age and it is a classic Roman house, famous for an architectural element that distinguishes it: a carbonized wooden partition that acts as a folding door, with shaped knockers and large bronze rings on which the lamps were placed. The function of the wooden partition was to separate the atrium from the tablinum. The domus was brought to light by the archaeologist Amedeo Maiuri between 1927 and 1933.

The Sannitica House

It dates back to the 2nd century BC and is one of the oldest houses in the city unearthed at the beginning of the XNUMXth century. It is one of the domus with the most fascinating decorative elements: mosaic floor made with geometric motifs, Oscan graffiti found in the vestibule, columns in Corinthian capitals, blue and black frescoed panels and red frieze and much more. The Casa Sannitica will be the only one that will remain open only on holidays.

The Casa dei Cervi

It dates back to the times when the emperor Claudius reigned in Rome and belonged to one of the most important Roman patricians of the time, namely Quinto Granio Vero. IS an example of a luxury house built within the walls of the city of Herculaneum with one side facing the gulf of Naples. It was called "House of the deer" for the discovery in the garden of two statues that both represented a deer attacked by dogs. Inside the domus, marble furnishings and paintings of incomparable beauty were found.

The Suburban Baths

It is a spa complex built at the behest of Marco Nonio Balbo at the beginning of the first century, and is one of the best preserved public spas in the entire Roman Empire. Although this spa facility has not been closed either for safety reasons or for restoration, it has not been open to visitors for years.