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Insula V lies to the north of Insula IV across the lower decumanus, stretching as far as Decumanus Maximus where it faces the Forum. It is bound to west and east by Cardo IV and Cardo V respectively. It includes many important buildings including the House of the Bi-centenary and the House of the Neptune Mosaic.
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The house, which dates from the 2nd century B.C., is one of the oldest buildings in Herculaneum.
The entrance portal has tufa columns with Corinthian
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capitals and is surmounted by a gallery built as part of the second floor.
The entrance hall is decorated with frescos in the First Style imitating polychrome marble. It leads into the atrium which has a
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gallery with Ionic columns closed off with a stucco-lined tracery screen as can be seen in the accompanying photographs.
The elegant decoration of the ground floor is in stark contrast to the upper floor, which was at some
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time split into apartments and made independent by the addition of the steep wooden staircase next to the neighbouring property (Number 2).
The garden, which was once part of the house, now forms part of the adjoining House of the Great Portal.
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House of the Great Portal (Ins V, 35)
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The entrance, after which the building was named, consists of brick demi-columns, surmounted by Corinthian capitals carved with winged Victories.
The house has an unusual layout: with the absence of an atrium, the rooms radiate from an elongated vestibule that joins an open courtyard which serves as a source of light and where terracotta ducts channeled
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rainwater into a cistern.
The rooms were decorated in frescos of the Fourth Style. In particular, the triclinium is decorated with a small panel illustrating a Dionysian theme and the vestibule has architectural motifs painted on a black background. The vestibule also contains a fine panel depicting birds pecking at cherries. The fresco on the left is from a cubiculum.
Like other properties, the House of the Great Portal has a shop opening onto the street. It was probably rented out as it is totally separate from the rest of the house.
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