Recent archaeological investigations at the Porta Stabia necropolis provide new elements useful for understanding the complex spatial articulation of this area of Pompeii, which will soon be returned to public use.
Along the Via Stabiana, immediately outside the gate of the same name that gives access to the ancient city, in an area adjacent to the monumental tomb of Gnaeus Alleius Nigidius Maius, brought to light last year, restoration and enhancement work on two other funerary monuments began at the end of 2017.
These are two chamber tombs called “Tomb A” and “Tomb B” already excavated in 2001 and located in a space delimited by a pavement and a low wall in reticulated stone partially covered in plaster.
The excavation activities were aimed at bringing to light and documenting the road route.
The road pavement was in fact entirely covered by a thick layer of alluvial accumulation which has yielded a large quantity of ceramic and glass finds such as ointment jars and tokens but also a gold ring with facing snake heads and with glass paste eyes.
The removal of this accumulation layer revealed an unfinished sub-square wall structure to the south of tomb A. This evidence is likely pertinent to a third tomb that remained incomplete following the abandonment of the construction site, as indicated by the blocks of tuff and lava found in the immediate vicinity and ready to be used in the construction, and also a pile of lava chips and blocks.
Tomb B, rectangular in shape, is made up of two rows of parallelepiped blocks of white limestone; the tomb probably had a crown in the shape of an altar.
The plastered interior has rectangular niches on three sides, while the fourth side gives access to the chamber. During the restoration work inside the burial chamber, which was in a highly degraded state, it was discovered that only four of the nine clay urns walled up in the two platforms along the sides of the chamber had previously been emptied, probably during the nineteenth-century explorations that led to the stripping of the limestone covering of the upper part of the tomb and the removal of the glass urns in the niches. Of the five urns not previously emptied, two returned the ashes of the deceased, while two others contained the remains of the ustrinum (funeral pyre) such as glass balms deformed by the heat, and in one case a coin placed as a carontis obol. The anthropological remains are currently being studied by H. Duday. Some urns still had their lids closed but in an upside-down position. A clay conduit for libations in honour of the deceased which took place during various festivities was also found on the cocciopesto floor; the conduit was closed by a marble element.
Tomb A is an almost square-shaped structure consisting of a high base of parallelepiped blocks of grey tuff joined together by metal clamps (at least on the northern side), on which rested the roof, consisting of a series of small steps of earth, lava stones, limestone chips and mortar, of which at least the lower one was covered with rectangular slabs of white marble, some of which are still preserved in situ. Inside the burial chamber there are niches carved into the three sides of the brick wall. During the excavation carried out in 2001, two glass cinerary urns with lids were found; the tomb also contained two blown glass doves and a small jug. The entrance to the tomb is located on the southern side and is closed by a limestone door on which two tituli picti are legible. The door has an iron ring on the outside and a locking system on the inside in bronze, and bronze hinges. The gate was closed at the time of excavation and was opened for restoration work, showing that the Roman locking system still works perfectly 2000 years later. On the upper part of the gate there is an inscription, a titulus pictus, which reads “Iarinus Expectato / ambaliter unique sal(utem) / Habito sal(utem)” – “Iarinus greets Expectato, friend forever; greetings to Habito”. Above Habito’s name someone drew a phallus.
EDITORIAL TEAM
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