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The Northwest Regio Domus of Antonia Marius

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Casa del Labirinto

Inscription - LABYRINTHUS HIC HABITAT MINOTAURUS - The labyrinth, here lives the Minotaur. Could be a reference to the disposition of the occupier of the house.

"If you follow the Vicolo di Mercurio and turn left into the alley, you will find at No. 10 this large residence, built before the Roman invasion. The house uncommonly sports two atriums - one opposite the entry and the other left of the entrance - and a splendid peristylum from which several rooms branched off. Some of these were used for business, like the Hall of The Ovens and The Mill Shop."

"The other rooms, however, were decorated with luxurious paintings and mosaics of the 2nd style period, among them the floor mosaic showing Theseus and Minotaur in the Labyrinth, from which the name of this residence derives."

Interactive floor plan for House of Labyrinth

THE MINOTAUROS (or Minotaur) was a bull-headed monster born to Queen Pasiphae of Krete after she had coupled with a bull. The creature resided in the twisting maze of the labyrinth, where he was offfered a regular sacrifice of youths and maids to satisfy his cannibalistic hunger. He was eventually destroyed by the hero, Theseus, King of Athens. The Minotaur's proper name Asterion, "the starry one", suggests that he was associated with the Constellation Tauros.

Theseus grasps the hairy, bull-headed Minotauros by the horn as he drives his sword through its neck.

Text Source:
New Guide to Pompeii, Edizioni KINA, Italia, text: Claudia Converso.
Original background created by a friend for my use only ~ August 2007.

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