The Hut of Romulus: Assessing an Archaeological Site “The Romans” Case Study Chapter 1 A. Graham

King Evander’s Hut on the Palatine Virgil’s Aeneid 8.360-370: ‘they were coming up to Evander’s humble home, and there were cattle everywhere, lowing in the Roman Forum and in the now luxurious district of Carinae… “Come into my poor home and do not judge it too harshly.” With these words he led the mighty Aeneas under a roof tree of his narrow house and set him down on a bed of leaves covered with the hide of a Libyan bear.’ Translation from Penguin edition: D. West (2003), p. 175.

Romulus’ Hut This image was created by planetware: http://www.planetware.com/rome/palatine-hill-i-la-rph.htm, and adjusted with labels by the author.

Romulus’ Hut: Casa Romuli Post holes! If you like reconstructing wattle and daub huts from holes where wood used to be, archaic archaeology is for you! Image 1: A model of an archaic hut can be found at the Museo della Civilta, Roma. Image reproduced from: http://condor.depaul.edu/sbucking/296A05_over11.htm Image 2: By Vitold Muratov (own work), via Wikimedia Commons: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Palatine_Hill.House_of_Romulus.jpg

Villanovan urn from the 9th-8th century BC which probably contained the ashes from a burial Sloping beams of the wooden roof? These urns, found in archaic burial sites in Rome, reveal aspects of Roman domestic architecture, allowing reconstructions from limited archaeological remains (e.g. postholes) Libyan bear hide? ‘Italic - Urn in the Shape of a Hut and a Door - Walters 482312’, by Italic - Walters Art Museum. Licensed under public domain via Wikimedia Commons: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Italic__Urn_in_the_Shape_of_a_Hut_and_a_Door_-_Walters_482312.jpg