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House of the Cabinet Maker, Pompeii

Address: Regio I, Insula 10
Area: 309 square meters
Rooms: 8

The House of the Cabinet Maker, also known as Casa del Fabbro (House of the Smith), House of the Craftsman, or Domus and Officina of M. Volusius Iuvencus and the Equitia, is a modest Roman domus in Pompeii that exemplifies the living and working spaces of a middle-class artisan family, likely involved in woodworking or cabinetry. Located at I.10.7, it spans approximately 309 square meters with eight ground-floor rooms and evidence of an upper story, featuring a typical atrium-peristyle layout adapted for both domestic life and craft production. The house's name derives from a set of carpenter's tools and wooden furniture remnants found during excavations, suggesting it was the residence and workshop of a faber arcarius (furniture maker). Decorated primarily in the Third and Fourth Pompeian Styles, it includes mythological frescoes and a household lararium, reflecting cultural and religious influences. Excavated in phases between 1914 and 1933, the house was buried during the 79 CE eruption of Vesuvius, preserving artifacts like tools, jewelry, and human remains that provide insights into middle-class Pompeian society. Likely rented from a neighboring elite owner, it could accommodate a familia of about 13 people, blending residential comfort with practical workspace.

Location and Historical Context

Situated in Regio I, Insula 10, entrance 7, on the north side of Vicolo del Menandro in Pompeii's eastern district, the House of the Cabinet Maker lies near the Great Theatre and Amphitheatre, in a mixed residential and commercial neighborhood. This location reflects its middle-class status, adjacent to more elite properties like the Casa del Menandro (I.10.4), from which it may have been rented. Dating to the late Republican or early Imperial period, the house underwent renovations after the 62 CE earthquake, as evidenced by recent decorations and artifacts. Excavations occurred in 1914 (initial), 1927-1929 (main phase under Amedeo Maiuri), and 1933 (completion), revealing a site rich in finds despite its size. The house likely served as both home and workshop for a craftsman, possibly a cabinet-maker or smith, with tools indicating recent activity. Two victims were discovered in 1933, providing material for modern DNA studies that challenge traditional interpretations of their relationships and identities. Hypotheses suggest it could have hosted early Christian gatherings, though this remains speculative based on space analysis.

Architecture and Layout

The house follows a compact Roman domus plan, with an entrance fauces leading south to an atrium, tablinum, and rear peristyle garden, prioritizing internal light and privacy. Constructed with opus incertum walls plastered for refinement, it includes an upper floor accessed by wooden stairs in Room 1 and a masonry staircase to a walkway above the kitchen. The layout balances residential (atrium, cubicula) and functional spaces (workshop in garden), with evidence of post-earthquake adaptations like raised floors. The atrium centers on an impluvium for water collection, flanked by rooms, while the garden provides outdoor workspace.

Rooms and Notable Features

The house comprises eight ground-floor rooms, with upper-floor additions:
Room 1 (Service Room/Latrine): West of entrance, with latrine in northwest corner screened by masonry wall and timber partition; iron-lined posthole for door.
Room 2 (Cubiculum): Bedroom with recess in southeast corner; lit by window to vicolo.
Atrium: Central hall with impluvium, marble table in northeast corner; access to west-side rooms (4-6).
Room 7 (Tablinum): Reception area connecting atrium to garden; views north to entrance.
Room 9/12 (Triclinium): Dining room with lararium niche; site of victim remains.
Room 10/11 (Garden): Rear courtyard with north portico; wooden triclinium imprint, pergola supports; used for craftwork.

Notable features include upper-floor dining room overlooking garden, medical tools suggesting diverse skills.

Decorations and Art

Decorations blend Third Style (architectural illusions) in the lararium and Fourth Style on upper floors, creating depth in modest spaces:

Triclinium: North wall: Paris and Hermes on Mount Ida (faded). West wall: Daedalus and Icarus. East wall: Sacred landscape; lararium niche with two serpents, altar, flowers, plants.
Cubiculum: West wall: Flying beast, plant motifs; south wall: Flying cupid.

Upper rooms feature elaborate frescoes; overall, decorations reflect recent post-earthquake updates.

Artifacts and Inscriptions

Excavations yielded abundant practical items:
Furniture: Reconstructed armarium (wardrobe) with bronze studs; three wooden chests; small suspended cabinet with bronze cases.
Tools: Iron carpenter's set; medical tools in one room.
Jewelry and Statuettes: Gold chain with Isis Fortuna pendant (rudder, cornucopia); marble Hercules (0.43m high).
Coins: 26 silver denarii (104 sesterces) in cloth bag; 48 more in heap.
Other: Terracotta rainwater spouts (lion head); veneers, bone encrustations.

Inscriptions: Graffito CIL IV 8364 outside entrance: "Secundus greets his Prima... I beg you, lady, love me."
Human remains: Two victims in triclinium; DNA studies suggest unrelated Eastern Mediterranean origins.

Conclusion

The House of the Cabinet Maker offers a glimpse into Pompeii's artisan class, where functional craft spaces coexisted with cultural refinements like mythological art and household shrines. Its rich finds and modest scale highlight social diversity, preserved by volcanic ash and enriched by modern analyses.