Pompeii and Herculaneum – House terms

Atrium  - The main hall of a traditional Roman house. It could be completely roofed
or have an opening (compluvium) in the middle of its roof and a water tank (impluvium) in the floor beneath.
Exedra  - A recess, usually semi-circular or rectangular in shape which is usually set into a building's facade.
Fauces  - An entrance passageway or vestibule generally leading to the atrium.
First Style - Between 150-80 BC, sometimes called the 'incrustation' or 'structural' style, this style of fresco was characterised by paintings in imitation of architectural features and facings.
Second Style - Between 1st century BC and AD 62, this style emerged as an original expression of Roman art. Towards the end of the period, the wall space was decorated with mythological scenes and illusionistic spaces.
Third Style - From the end of the reign of Augustus, a more delicate and colourful style of fresco. It was enriched by Egyptian art, and was later referred to as the Egyptian style.
Impluvium - A water tank in the floor of an atrium that has, above it, an opening (compluvium) in the middle of its roof.
Lararium - A shrine to the household gods of a Roman house.
Tablinum - The central room at the end of the atrium of a Roman house, originally the master bedroom, later used for storing records.
Triclinium - The dining-room of a Roman house, so-called because of the three banqueting couches (klinai) arranged around the walls.