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House of the First Floor, Pompeii

The House of the First Cenaculum, also known as the House of the Colonnaded Cenaculum (Casa dei Cenacoli Colonnati) or Casa del Primo Cenacolo Colonnato, is a well-preserved Roman domestic structure in Pompeii, exemplifying a multi-functional urban residence with residential, commercial, and productive elements. Located at IX.12.1 in Regio IX, Insula 12 (part of the larger Insula of the Chaste Lovers), it fronts onto Via dell’Abbondanza, one of Pompeii's main thoroughfares. The house spans part of an insula covering about 2,600 square meters (70 x 37 m), with roughly half excavated, and is linked to adjacent properties like IX.12.2, including a textrina (textile workshop) associated with Rufus. First excavated in 1912 under Vittorio Spinazzola, it revealed upper-floor features like a side balcony and windows overlooking the street. The site was damaged by Allied bombing in 1943, destroying parts of the colonnaded upper floor, but has undergone extensive restoration since, including recent efforts (2014-2024) under the Grande Progetto Pompei, funded by the European Regional Development Fund at about 8 million Euros. These works involved new roofing, seismic isolation, and accessibility improvements, making it open to the public since May 2024. The house dates to the late Republican or early Imperial period, with colonnaded cenacula (upper-floor apartments or dining areas) emerging in Pompeii by the end of the 2nd century BC, reflecting a popular apartment style in domestic architecture. Its name derives from the colonnaded upper floor, interpreted as a cenaculum (upper living or dining space), and it highlights social diversity in Regio IX, housing both affluent residents and enslaved individuals in varied conditions.

Architecture and Layout

The house follows a typical Pompeian urban domus layout adapted for multi-story use, with a modest façade on Via dell’Abbondanza featuring entrance doorways and pilasters. The ground floor includes the main entrance (fauces) leading to room “a” (entry area), with rear rooms “b” and “c” possibly serving as storage or workshops, evidenced by pumice deposits and doorways. A service courtyard and corridors connect to productive spaces, including a tablinum (reception room) and a cubiculum (bedroom) repurposed as a small study. The upper floor, accessed via stairs from IX.12.2, features a colonnaded area with Doric-style columns, a reconstructed side balcony overhanging a western vicolo (alley), and three windows overlooking the street. This colonnaded cenaculum design, popular from the late 2nd century BC, provided elevated living quarters, possibly for dining or habitation, and remained a mainstream feature in Pompeian apartments. Recent restorations include a seismically isolated steel roof covering over 2,000 square meters, with glass panels integrating solar cells for energy self-sufficiency, and a 240-meter raised walkway with a lift for accessibility, allowing views of ongoing excavations. The insula's excavation involved re-profiling artificial faces with soil bioengineering for safety, revealing geological sections for study.

Decorations and Frescoes

Decorations in the House of the First Cenaculum are characteristic of Pompeian Fourth Style, with elegant frescoed walls depicting mythological scenes. Key panels include centaurs, sirens, griffins, Aphrodite, Apollo, Dionysus, a possible female deity, Perseus and Andromeda, and the purification of a hero. In the cubiculum, a small painting shows a young hooded boy (possibly the deceased son of the owners) surrounded by grapes, pomegranates, and a puppy, creating an illusory garden perspective. The service courtyard and corridors feature unique charcoal drawings by children, including gladiatorial combats, venatio (animal hunts) with bestiarii and wild boars, a bird of prey (possibly an eagle), boxing scenes with a "knock-out," ball-playing figures, and three small hand outlines. An earlier red mineral pigment (possibly ochre) drawing depicts a maritime scene with ships, fish, fishing objects, and male figures, partially covered by whitewash. These drawings, at heights of 0.20-1.50 meters above the floor, were made by children aged 5-7, showing developmental similarities to modern child art, such as cephalopods (figures emerging from heads). No mosaics are specifically mentioned, but the overall decor reflects a blend of elite artistic tastes and everyday life.

In the southeast corner of the garden is a large stone trough, possibly used as a reservoir for storing live fish.

Notable Features and Artifacts

The house's standout feature is its colonnaded upper floor, a rare surviving example of cenaculum architecture, with reconstructed balcony and columns offering views across Regio IX. Artifacts include a graffiti inscription on the workshop's west wall: "Pridie Nonis Julis tunica IIS XV" (CIL IV 9108), recording a tunic's price at 15 sesterces on July 6, indicating textile trade. An amphora (inventory number 88031) was found in the western vicolo. Recent finds include the skeletal remains of two elderly victims (a man and woman) in the fauces, who sought shelter during the 79 AD eruption. The children's drawings provide rare evidence of ancient childhood creativity and exposure to violence, studied in collaboration with child neuropsychiatrists from Federico II University of Naples. The site also features a storage/draining area for amphorae, underscoring its productive role.

Significance

The House of the First Cenaculum offers profound insights into ancient Roman daily life, particularly childhood in Pompeii, revealing how young children (aged 5-7) were exposed to violent spectacles like gladiatorial fights and animal hunts, likely witnessed in nearby amphitheaters. As part of the Insula of the Chaste Lovers, it highlights social contrasts in Regio IX, from luxurious homes to enslaved living conditions. The colonnaded cenaculum exemplifies evolving Pompeian apartment design from the late Republican era, contributing to understandings of urban domestic architecture. Recent restorations enhance accessibility (via the "Pompei per Tutti" project) and sustainability, allowing public viewing of excavations while preserving the site. Open daily from 10:30 am to 6:00 pm, it attracts visitors for its blend of archaeology and human stories, as noted by Italian officials like Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano and Director Massimo Osanna, emphasizing Pompeii's ongoing revelations.