Casa del Bicentenario, Roman residential building in Archaeological Park of Herculaneum, Italy.
Casa del Bicentenario is a Roman residential building in the archaeological site of Herculaneum arranged with multiple rooms around a central atrium. The structure features marble floors, detailed wall paintings, and remains of an upper floor containing additional living quarters.
Archaeological excavations led by Amedeo Maiuri uncovered this residence in 1938, marking 200 years since systematic investigations of Herculaneum first began. This discovery represented an important milestone in understanding the buried Roman site.
The second floor shows a room with a cruciform recess and nail marks suggesting early Christian prayer practices in a Roman household. These traces reveal how residents expressed their faith within their private living spaces.
Access to the house is through an entrance on Decumanus Street, from where you can explore ground floor rooms and upper-level living areas. Wear sturdy shoes since walkways are uneven and some areas have limited accessibility.
Wooden tablets and papyrus documents were found inside the house, including court records about a legal case involving a girl named Justa. These writings offer rare glimpses into the daily lives and legal matters of the Roman residents.
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