The House of the Faun The Rooms By George Smith and Dilan Gohil

Tabema - Shop The House of the Faun had 4 shops at the front of the house. They were used to make money, either by owning the shop or by renting it out.

Vestibule This is the entrance to the House. It will have been elaborately decorated, because it would be guest’s first impression. Double door, which was very large and grand. On the floor, in front of the door was the welcome inscription “have”.

Fauces The entrance was flanked by two shrines. These were for the Lares, the household gods. People prayed to the Lares to protect their house and family from such events like the earthquake.

Atrium There was the Tuscan Atrium and the Tetrastyle Atrium. The Tuscan Atrium, was the main Atrium which was very well decorated and contained the statuette of the dancing faun. The Tetrastyle Atrium was the second atrium, the roof was supported by four columns. The service rooms of the house were centred around this tetrastyle atrium.

Impluvium The Impluvium is a basin for catching rainwater. The House of the Faun is named after the bronze statuette of a Faun in the Impluvium. In “opus sectile”, small tesserae (rocks) of coloured marble.

Cubiculi There are at least 8 cubiculi (bedrooms) in the house. The servants would have a room/quarters and the gardener and doorkeeper both had a room. The bedrooms usually had no windows so it is easy to sleep and keeps light out.

Tablinum The Tablinum (study) showed of the man of the house’s intelligence and guests maybe greeted there. It had a mosaic floor and was one of the most decorated rooms of the house.

Alae Anteroom and Oecus It is a small room, as an alcove, opening into a larger room. Anteroom and Oecus Used to view the Garden, sometimes used for banquets and another triclinium.

Peristyle There are two peristyles with different column styles, the Ionic and the Doric. The Transverse Peristyle had the Ionic style which is an ancient Greek style column with an elaborate design at the top end of the column. The other Peristyle had both Doric and Ionic style. These columns are also a Greek style.

Exedra of the Alexander Mosaic The House of the Faun is most famously known for the Alexander Mosaic, depicting the Battle of Issus in 333 BC between Alexander the Great and Darius III of Persia.

Oeci This is where the kitchen was, it was right next to one of the Tricliniums so it was useful there. The toilet of the house was often here as well, as it ran right next to the kitchen so it wouldn’t smell to bad.

Triclinium There were four Tricliniums (dining rooms), two summer ones, an autumn and winter one. The summer one had a great view of the garden and let in sunlight. The winter one had no windows and was lighted by candles, it was well decorated as there was no garden view.

Posticium This was the back entrance to the house. The House of the Faun took up a whole street block so it made sense to have a back entrance to save the walk if you’re coming from the opposite direction to the main entrance.

Balneum Like other wealthy aristocrats of the Roman Republic, the owners of the House of the Faun installed a private bath system, or balneum, in the house. The bathing room was located in the domestic wing, which was to the right of the entrance, and along with the kitchen was heated by a large furnace. This was a great are to show of to guests. They could also wash themselves without having to go to the public baths.

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