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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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House of the Beautiful Courtyard (Ins V, 8)
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This house has an unusual layout, more akin to an Italian medieval building than a first century one. The long, low ceilinged entrance serves both as a vestible and atrium. Off it to the right are three rooms, and at the far end is the 'beautiful courtyard'.
The courtyard is raised and has a mosaic surface. An external stair, resembling, with its parapet and landing, typical examples of 14th and 15th century Italian houses, leads upstairs.
The upstairs rooms connect via the landing. In the rooms are some frescoes painted in the Third Style.
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House of the Neptune Mosaic (Ins V, 6-7)
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Just south of the House of the Beautiful Courtyard is the House of the Neptune Mosaic. The owner of the house must also have owned the connecting wine shop which opens onto the street.
The shop has survived almost intact and is the best preserved example of a shop in the region. The
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wooden fittings are still in place: shelves for amphorae, the ballustrade of the balcony and, behind the counter, a partition with two grills. Broad beans and chick peas were found in the large jars set in the counter.
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The house itself has a straight forward layout. At the far side of the atrium, a tablinum gives way to a triclinium as shown in the photograph opposite.
At the far end of the triclinium is a nympheum surmounted by the head of Silenus and marble threatrical masks. The side and central niches are decorated with geometric and floral motifs and hunting scenes with dogs and deer.
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The mosaic panel, representing Neptune and Amphitrite after which the house is named, adorns the adjoining wall. Either side of the panel are frescoes of garden scenes.
The upstairs rooms, (open to the street as the front wall collapsed during the eruption) still bear some of their frescoes.
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