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House of the Double Atrium (Casa a due atri) Herculaneum)

The House of the Double Atrium (Casa dei Due Atri), located at Insula VI.29 in Herculaneum (modern Ercolano, Italy), is a distinctive Roman domus buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE. Positioned on the east side of Cardo III Superiore, a major north-south artery midway through Insula VI, it stands between the Forum Baths, the House of the Tuscan Colonnade, and the House of the Black Hall. The house earns its name from its unusual dual-atria layout, a rare feature blending Tetrastyle (four-columned) and Tuscan (Etruscan-style) designs, reflecting adaptations to urban space constraints. Likely owned by Herennia Tertia (based on an archive of wax tablets found within), it exemplifies mid-1st-century CE domestic life in a prosperous seaside town.

Built during the Augustan period (ca. 43 BCE–18 CE), the house underwent expansions, including an independent upper floor post-62 CE earthquake, highlighting Roman resilience to seismic events. Excavation history includes 18th-century Bourbon explorations, but systematic open-air digs occurred in 1939–1940 under Amedeo Maiuri, who documented its features in works like "Ercolano" (1977). As part of the Parco Archeologico di Ercolano, it is accessible to visitors, though reviews note its modest appeal compared to grander sites, with preserved upper elements evoking daily Roman life.

Overall Layout and Architectural Features

The House of the Double Atrium occupies a narrow, elongated rectangular plot (ca. 200–250 square meters), constrained by urban density, with rooms flanking the atria on east and west sides. The façade on Cardo III is imposing, constructed in opus reticulatum (diamond-patterned masonry) with a tufa portal and architrave, flanked by two small ground-floor windows (one with original iron grilles) and two upper-floor windows. A terracotta cornice and discharge arch frame the entrance, topped by a small terracotta mask (possibly Gorgon Medusa to ward off evil, though debated). The upper floor extends along the street, with beam holes and high walls indicating multi-story construction, including galleries supported by masonry columns.
The layout centers on two sequential atria: the first (tetrastyle) near the entrance for public reception, and the second (Tuscan) deeper inside, possibly serving as a semi-private garden. Entry via a corridor leads eastward to the first atrium, with service areas (kitchen, latrine) branching off. Stairs provide access to upper levels, and drainage systems include cisterns under impluvia for rainwater collection. Post-earthquake modifications made the upper floor independent, with much of the second story destroyed by volcanic flows.

Room-by-Room Description

The house comprises 10–15 spaces, labeled numerically or alphabetically in plans (e.g., Maiuri's documentation). Descriptions draw from excavation reports and photos.

Entrance Corridor (a/1): Narrow passage from Cardo III, leading east to the first atrium; lost decorations; branches to kitchen (right) and possible porter's room (left, linked to VI.28).
Kitchen (c/1): Southwest of first atrium; L-shaped cooking bench on arches, dolium (jar), latrine under square window to street; utilitarian space.
First Atrium (b): Tetrastyle with four tall masonry/brick columns supporting upper gallery; cocciopesto floor with colored marble inserts; lararium niche on south wall; rear doorways to diaeta (left), tablinum (center), corridor to second atrium (right).
Diaeta (left rear of first atrium): Small living room; limited details.
Tablinum (center rear of first atrium): Owner's study/reception; views through atria to entrance.
Corridor to Second Atrium (right of tablinum): Connects atria; doorway to second atrium.
Second Atrium (9): Tuscan-style; impluvium in opus signinum with radial polychrome marble slabs, central recess for fountain/statue; parapet (pluteus) for plants, making it garden-like; puteal on cistern edge; lararium niches (two) on south wall; cistern mouths in northwest/southwest corners.
Oecus/Cubiculum (7/e): Adjacent to second atrium; blue background frescoes with yellow panels, small still-lifes/masks; north wall paintings detailed.
Triclinium (11/h): Large dining room east of second atrium; fourth-style frescoes with mullets and pears; north/east/south/west walls painted; doorway to room 12.
Room 12: From triclinium; window/doorway to room 13 in east wall; blocked upper doorways in west wall.
Room 13: Northeast corner and east wall detailed; connected to 12.
Central Bedroom/Table (d): Opens to both atria; lit by north window.
Upper Floors: Galleries, private rooms; stairs from kitchen/corridor; partially destroyed.

Decorations, Artifacts, and Significance

Decorations span third-style (red/white panels, borders) in the first atrium and fourth-style (blue/yellow, still-lifes like mullets/pears, masks/sphinxes/birds/eagles) in reception rooms. Floors: Cocciopesto with marble inserts; opus signinum in impluvia. Lararia niches in both atria emphasize household religion.
Artifacts include a wooden chest with Herennia Tertia's wax tablets (personal archive) and a carbonized wooden table (44cm high, star-shaped inlay, veneering technique; possibly sella/stool). Puteal and possible fountain statuette in second impluvium.