The House of the Coloured Capitals, also known in archaeological research as the House of Ariadne, is one of the largest residences in Regio VII. It occupies a substantial part of Insula 4 and extends between Via degli Augustali and Via di Nola.
The great domus was built chiefly in the second half of the 2nd century BC, incorporating earlier structures dating from the late 3rd century BC. Over time, the house acquired a monumental layout centred on an atrium and two separate peristyles.
The first peristyle had Ionic columns, while a second colonnaded area was added towards the end of the 2nd century BC. Several figured capitals that were originally painted gave rise to the modern name House of the Coloured Capitals.
The rooms preserve evidence of different decorative phases, from the First Style to the Fourth Style, as well as numerous opus signinum and mosaic floors. The wealth and size of the residence attest to the high social standing of its owners. The Archaeological Park’s management plan accordingly includes it among the great aristocratic houses built or monumentalised as Pompeii developed from the Samnite to the Roman period.
The house is now the subject of a major interdisciplinary research project. Since 2018, the Austrian Archaeological Institute has studied the building history of the complex together with archaeologists from Valencia, focusing particularly on the development of both the domus and the whole of Insula VII.4.
The Archaeological Park of Pompeii has also launched new programmes for the restoration and enhancement of the House of Ariadne, confirming the complex’s importance for research and its future presentation to the public.
