Herculaneum VI.8. Terme Centrali or Central Baths. Women’s Baths.
Fully excavated 1931-32.
Maiuri wrote that the section reserved for women was smaller, less well decorated and less complete than the men’s section. Here there is no frigidarium.
The first large square room, decorated with a red dado and with a continuous podium all around, where the clients waited their turn, leads through another tiny rectangular vestibule to the small charming apodyterium with the usual shelf with recesses running around it and a strigulated stucco vault; the mosaic pavement is similar to that in the tepidarium of the men’s baths: a large Triton in the centre surrounded by dolphins, polyps and eels.
The calidarium with the hollow floor and the smoke and heat vents placed in the thickness of the walls, as in the men’s section, presents us with a more complete view, of the calidaria of the first century of the Empire: there is the large marble bath for the hot bath and opposite to it, the circular podium for a bronze or marble labrum for the cold or tepid water ablutions (the basin had been carried away from here also); along the walls, there are two elegant marble benches.
See Maiuri, Amedeo, (1977). Herculaneum. 7th English ed, of Guide books to the Museums Galleries and Monuments of Italy, No.53 (p.39).
According to Guidobaldi, the original entrance vestibule would have been the small room with black mosaic with inserts of polychrome marble that opens at VI.9. This was then transformed into an independent shop, by the closing of the preceding aperture with the room of the apodyterium. The large waiting room at VI.8 then became the main entrance to the women’s baths, capable of seating around 40 people on its benches along the walls.
See Guidobaldi,
M.P, 2009: Ercolano, guida agli scavi.
Naples, Electa Napoli, (p.102).
VI.7 on left, and VI.8 on right. Herculaneum. May 2009.
Entrance doorways on west side of Cardo IV Superiore. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
VI.7 on left, and VI.8 on right, Herculaneum. June 2006. Looking west to entrance doorways. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.
VI.8 Herculaneum. May 2010. Entrance doorway to the women’s baths, looking west.
VI.8 Herculaneum. May 2010. East wall of vestibule, with doorway to Cardo IV Superiore.
VI.8 Herculaneum. September 2003. Window in east wall, at north end. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.
VI.8 Herculaneum. August 2013.
Remains of carbonised wood above doorway, looking east from interior. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
VI.8 Herculaneum. August 2013.
Looking east to window above entrance doorway, and remains of carbonised wood. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
VI.8 Herculaneum. August 2013. Looking south along east wall, towards south-east corner. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
VI.8 Herculaneum. May 2010. South wall of the vestibule, with masonry seats.
This is, as described by Maiuri, the first large square room, decorated with a red dado and with a continuous podium all around, where the clients waited their turn.
VI.8 Herculaneum. August 2013. Looking towards south-west corner of vestibule. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
VI.8 Herculaneum. May 2010. West wall of the vestibule with masonry seats.
VI.8 Herculaneum. September 2003.
Looking towards detail from west wall at south end. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.
VI.8 Herculaneum. August 2013. Looking towards north-west corner of vestibule. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
VI.8 Herculaneum. May 2010. Vestibule flooring.
VI.8 Herculaneum. May 2010.
North wall of the vestibule, with doorway to tiny rectangular vestibule or anteroom for the changing room or apodyterium of women’s baths.
VI.8 Herculaneum. May 2003. Looking towards north wall on west side of arched doorway. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.
VI.8 Herculaneum. September 2003. Looking towards north wall. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.
VI.8 Herculaneum. September 2003. Detail from north wall. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.
VI.8 Herculaneum. September 2003. Detail of brickworks on upper north wall of vestibule. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.
VI.8 Herculaneum. September 2003. Upper north-east corner. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.
VI.8 Herculaneum. May 2010.
Looking north to arched doorway through vestibule to changing room or apodyterium.
VI.8 Herculaneum. May 2010. Threshold of doorway from apodyterium anteroom to vestibule.
VI.8 Herculaneum. May 2003. Threshold of doorway from apodyterium anteroom to vestibule. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.
VI.8 Herculaneum. May 2010. Looking east across south side of anteroom, towards doorway to vestibule.
VI.8 Herculaneum. May 2010.
Looking east across rectangular anteroom into alcove on south side of entrance doorway to apodyterium.
VI.8 Herculaneum. May 2010. East side of doorway between changing room, on left, and alcove with window.
VI. 8, Herculaneum. May 2010.
Looking east across black and white mosaic flooring in anteroom of apodyterium/changing room.
This is, as described by Maiuri, the tiny rectangular vestibule to the small charming apodyterium.
VI.8 Herculaneum. May 2003.
Detail of mosaic floor in ateroom leading through to apodyterium/changing room. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.
VI.8 Herculaneum. August 2013. Detail of mosaic floor in anteroom of changing room. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
VI.8 Herculaneum. May 2010. Looking west along corridor, on the south side of the changing room.
VI.8 Herculaneum. March 2014.
Looking west along corridor, on the south side of the
changing room.
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR
VI.8 Herculaneum. May 2010. Ceiling of corridor on the south side of the apodyterium.
VI.8 Herculaneum. May 2010. West wall of corridor, on the south side of the apodyterium.
VI.8 Herculaneum. May 2010. Flooring of corridor, on the south side of the apodyterium.
VI.8 Herculaneum. May 2010. North wall of corridor, on the south side of the changing room.
VI.8 Herculaneum. March 2014. Looking north across the changing room or apodyterium of the women’s baths.
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR
VI.8 Herculaneum. May 2010.
Looking north-east across the changing room or apodyterium of the women’s baths.
This is, as described by Maiuri, the small charming apodyterium with the usual shelf with recesses running around it and a strigulated stucco vault; the mosaic pavement is similar to that in the tepidarium of the men’s baths: a large Triton in the centre surrounded by dolphins, polyps and eels.
VI.8 Herculaneum. April 2007. Looking north. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.
VI.8 Herculaneum. April 2007.
Looking north across flooring of anteroom towards changing room or apodyterium. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.
VI.8 Herculaneum. October 2001.
Looking north across the changing room or apodyterium of the women’s baths.
Photo courtesy of Peter Woods.
VI.8 Herculaneum. Undated postcard entitled “Apoditerium
delle Terme.”
Looking north across
the changing room or apodyterium of the women’s baths and its mosaic flooring. Photo courtesy of Peter
Woods.
VI.8 Herculaneum. August 2013. Looking towards east wall. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
VI.8 Herculaneum. May 2010. East wall of apodyterium.
VI.8 Herculaneum. May 2010. Shelving with painted surface, at south end of east wall.
VI.8 Herculaneum. May 2010. Detail of shelving for clothing and articles in east wall.
VI.8 Herculaneum. May 2010. Detail of east wall stucco and ceiling.
VI.8 Herculaneum. August 2013. Detail of decorative stucco on east wall. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
VI.8 Herculaneum. May 2010. Detail of decorative stucco on east wall.
VI.8 Herculaneum. August 2013. Vaulted ceiling of the changing room, or apodyterium. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
VI.8 Herculaneum. May 2010. Looking north along apodyterium ceiling.
VI.8 Herculaneum. May 2010. Decorative stucco at north end of apodyterium.
VI.8 Herculaneum. May 2010. Decorative stucco at north end.
VI.8 Herculaneum. March 2014. Detail of black mosaic of Triton on white mosaic flooring of changing room or apodyterium.
Foto Annette Haug, ERC Grant 681269 DÉCOR
VI.8 Herculaneum. May 2010.
Black mosaic of Triton on white mosaic flooring of changing room or apodyterium.
VI.8 Herculaneum. March 2008.
Black mosaic of Triton on white mosaic flooring of changing room or apodyterium.
Photo courtesy of Sera Baker.
VI.8 Herculaneum. August 2013. Black mosaic of Triton on white floor. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
VI.8 Herculaneum. October 2001.
Black mosaic on white mosaic flooring of changing room or apodyterium. Photo courtesy of Peter Woods.
VI.8 Herculaneum. September 2017.
Detail of head of Triton from mosaic floor of changing room or apodyterium. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.
VI.8 Herculaneum. September 2017.
Detail of hand of Triton and fish from mosaic floor of changing room or apodyterium. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.
VI.8 Herculaneum. April 2011. Looking north-west across
flooring of apodyterium/changing room. Photo courtesy of Klaus
Heese.
VI.8 Herculaneum. August 2013. Mosaic in north-west corner of floor. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
VI.8 Herculaneum. August 2013. Mosaic in north-east corner of floor. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
VI.8 Herculaneum. April 2013. Detail
of figured mosaic in north-east corner. Photo
courtesy of Klaus Heese.
VI.8 Herculaneum. May 2010. Black and white mosaic of sea-creatures and dolphins, at south end of floor.
VI.8 Herculaneum. August 2013. Black and white mosaic of lobster. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
VI.8 Herculaneum. September 2017. Black and white mosaic of squid. Photo courtesy of Klaus Heese.
VI.8 Herculaneum. May 2010. Black and white mosaic of dolphin at south end of floor in apodyterium.
VI.8 Herculaneum. May 2010. Black and white mosaic of dolphin at south end of floor in apodyterium.
VI.8 Herculaneum. October 2001. Black and white mosaic of dolphin. Photo courtesy of Peter Woods.
VI.8 Herculaneum. August 2013. Looking towards north wall of the changing room, or apodyterium. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
VI.8 Herculaneum. April 2007. Looking towards north wall of the changing room, or apodyterium. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
VI.8 Herculaneum. May 2010. North wall of apodyterium.
VI.8 Herculaneum. August 2013. Looking towards west wall of changing room. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.
VI.8 Herculaneum. May 2010. Doorway in west wall of apodyterium (changing room) leading to tepidarium (warm room).
VI.8 Herculaneum. May 2010. Looking west. Mosaic threshold of doorway from apodyterium to tepidarium.
VI.8 Herculaneum. May 2003.
Looking west across mosaic threshold of doorway from apodyterium to tepidarium. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.
VI.8 Herculaneum. May 2003.
Detail of black and white mosaic border of two lines around edge of flooring in apodyterium. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Monteix.
VI.8 Herculaneum. August 2013.
Looking east towards mosaic threshold of doorway from tepidarium to apodyterium. Photo courtesy of Buzz Ferebee.