House of Orpheus, Ancient Roman domus in Pompeii, Italy
The House of Orpheus is a Roman residence in Pompeii organized around a central courtyard with a water basin, typical of elite homes of the time. Its walls feature painted decorations in the Fourth Style, displaying scenes and figures from the household's artistic preferences.
The house was uncovered during excavations in 1834 and 1874, revealing inscriptions on its entrance walls that promoted a political candidate named Gnaeus Helvius. These graffiti demonstrate that even private homes served as spaces for public campaigning in Roman times.
The frescoes showing Orpheus on the west wall reveal how Romans incorporated Greek mythology into their homes as a sign of taste and learning. Such images were common in the houses of wealthy families who wanted to display their knowledge.
The house offers several rooms to explore, including decorated corridors near the entrance that still display their original painted surfaces. Visitors should expect uneven floors and tight passages characteristic of ancient Roman domestic spaces.
A plaster cast of a chained guard dog lies at the entrance, preserving the moment when Mount Vesuvius buried the city. The impression captures the animal's struggle and shows how volcanic ash froze this poignant detail of life before the eruption.
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