VI.6.20 Pompeii. Panificio dei Christiani. Bakery of the Christians.
Bakery sales shop linked with VI.6.21.
Linked to VI.6.17, VI.6.18 and VI.6.19. Excavated 1810, 1813, 1815.
VI.6.20 Pompeii. May 2005. Looking east at entrance doorway of corner shop.
According to Stefani, this was a large corner sales shop for the bakery at its rear.
On the west wall was a lararium painting with serpent, on the facing wall was a supposed “cross” in stucco.
See Stefani, G. (2005): Pompei. Un Panificio: in Cibi e Sapori a Pompei e dintorni, (p.139).
According to Breton –
La pièce 9 a offert une particularité que Mazois n’a
pas manqué de signaler : sur la paroi intérieure du trumeau existait une
peinture représentant un serpent, symbole d’une divinité custode, ou
gardienne de la maison, et à côté était scellée dans le mur une brique en
saillie, qui servait à porter la lampe qui brulait continuellement en son
honneur.
En face de cette représentation toute païenne, et
bien en évidence, était une croix latine en bas-relief, ou du moins un objet
qui en a toute la forme ; il serait bien singulier qu’il fût permis d’y
voir un symbole de la nouvelle religion du Christ.
See Breton, E. 1870. Pompeia, p. 248-9.
(translation: “No. 9 (VI.6.17/18) had a peculiarity that Mazois did not fail to point out: on the inside wall of the room there was a painting showing a serpent, symbol of a deity, or guardian of the house, and next to it was a projecting tile/brick in the wall, which served to carry the lamp that burned continuously in his honour.
In front of this pagan representation, and prominently displayed, was a Latin cross in bas-relief, or at least an object which had all the form of one; it would be very singular if it were allowed to be seen as a symbol of the new religion of Christ.”
(on his plan on p.248, he allocates this lararium painting to No.9, (VI.6.17/18) whereas Stefani/Della Corte state it was in No.10, (VI.6.20), see below.
VI.6.20-21 Pompeii. 1824 drawing relief of a cross in stucco.
See Mazois, F., 1824. Les Ruines de Pompei: Second Partie. Paris: Firmin Didot, p. 88.
According to Stefani, this bakery was called “the bakery of the Christians” (Panificio dei Christiani) because of the relief of a cross in stucco, now vanished.
This was found on the east wall of the shop, and was wrongly interpreted as a cross, the symbol of Christianity.
See Stefani, G.
(2005): Pompei. Un Panificio: in Cibi e
Sapori a Pompei e dintorni, (p. 139).
According to Della Corte, discovered in 1813 on the east wall in view of the road, was a panel of white stucco.
On this panel in bas-relief was a Christian cross, although stylised, it was an object of veneration found opposite the pagan lararium.
See Della Corte, M., 1965. Case ed Abitanti di Pompei. Napoli: Fausto Fiorentino. (p.115).