VII.1.44 Pompeii. Hospitium Sittii. Linked to VII .1.45.
Excavated 1862 and 1865. (Vico
del Lupanare 19).
VII.1.44 Pompeii. December 2018. Looking east
towards entrance doorway. Photo courtesy of Aude Durand.
![VII.1.44 Pompeii. December 2005. Looking east to entrance.
The hospitium had two doorways divided by a central pilaster, seen on the right above.
This pilaster was painted with the sign of an elephant surrounded around its body by a huge serpent and being rescued by a pigmy.
Above was a graffiti which possibly identified the owner as Sittius, who boasted that he had restored the elephant.
SITTIVS RESTITVIT ELEPHANTVM [CIL IV 806]
Underneath was an advert
HOSPITIVM HIC LOCATVR
TRICLINIVM CVM TRIBVS LECTIS
ET COMM(odis) [CIL IV 807]
See Dobbins, J & Foss, P., 2008. The World of Pompeii. New York: Routledge. (p.477)
Mau thought
Sittius restituit elephantu(m) [CIL IV 806] (Sittius restored the elephant) was referring to the repainting of the sign.
He thought the owner, whether Sittius or an unknown, was keen to rent the premises as under the elephant was the painted notice
Hospitium hic locatur - triclinium cum tribus lectis [CIL IV 807] (Inn to let – triclinium with 3 couches).
Mau said the rest of the inscription was illegible.
See Mau, A., 1907, translated by Kelsey F. W. Pompeii: Its Life and Art. New York: Macmillan. (p.400)](7%2001%2044_files/image004.jpg)
VII.1.44 Pompeii. December 2005. Looking east to entrance.
The hospitium had two doorways divided by a central pilaster, seen on the right above.
This pilaster was painted with the sign of an elephant surrounded around its body by a huge serpent and being rescued by a pigmy.
Above was a graffiti which possibly identified the owner as Sittius, who boasted that he had restored the elephant.
SITTIVS RESTITVIT ELEPHANTVM
[CIL IV 806]
Underneath was an advert
HOSPITIVM HIC
LOCATVR
TRICLINIVM CVM
TRIBVS LECTIS
ET COMM(odis) [CIL IV 807]
See Dobbins, J & Foss, P., 2008. The World of Pompeii. New York: Routledge. (p.477)
Mau thought
Sittius restituit elephantu(m) [CIL IV 806] (Sittius restored the elephant) was referring to the repainting of the sign.
He thought the owner, whether Sittius or an unknown, was keen to rent the premises as under the elephant was the painted notice
Hospitium hic locatur - triclinium cum tribus lectis [CIL IV 807] (Inn to let – triclinium with 3 couches).
Mau said the rest of the inscription was illegible.
See Mau, A., 1907, translated by Kelsey F. W. Pompeii: Its Life and Art. New York: Macmillan. (p.400)
VII.1.44/45
Pompeii. October 2017. Pilaster between entrance doorways.
Foto Taylor Lauritsen, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.
VII.1.44/45
Pompeii. October 2017. Looking north towards counter in bar-room.
Business
must have been good at this bar, witness the queue for the lupanare, on the
left. Even 2,000 years later they still queue!
Foto Taylor Lauritsen, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.
VII.1.44 Pompeii. December 2006. Looking east across marble encrusted counter with one urn.
VII.1.44 Pompeii. October 2017. Looking
south-east across counter in bar-room.
Foto Taylor Lauritsen, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR.
VII.1.44/45 Pompeii. October 2017. Looking north-east
from VII.1.45 towards rear of bar-room and triclinium.
Foto Taylor Lauritsen, ERC
Grant 681269 DÉCOR.
VII.1.44 Pompeii. December 2006. Looking across counter to south-east corner.
VII.1.44 Pompeii. December 2005. North-east corner of bar.
VII.1.44 Pompeii. December 2006. Looking east to remains of triclinium at rear.
VII.1.44 Pompeii. May 2003. Looking west from the rear of the counter. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.