ROMAN OBJECTS 



CHEST 



A well-to-do Roman needed a strong box in which valuables 

 could be kept. This often stood in the atrium of the house. Such 

 was the case with the original of the chest here exhibited. 



18. (24283) Chest 



The chest is of wood (?), sheathed with iron and finished with bronze trim- 

 mings. On the front are various heads and busts, as follows: in the lower 

 row a maenad, ivy-crowned, between two Cupids, one having an ivy- wreath 

 around his neck and the other a crown of grape clusters on his head; in the 

 upper row a boar's head between a Diana, characterized by her quiver, and 

 a maenad, wearing a fawn's skin; above the boar, a lion's (?) head. For 

 raising the lid there is a handle, formed of two palmettes. The fastenings of 

 the lid are at the two ends of the chest. 



Naples 73021. Pompeii. De Longperier. Revue archeologique, 1868 2. PI. xx and p. 171; 

 Mau-Kelsey, Pompeii, Fig. 1 20. [The boar's head is missing from this reproduction.) 



COUCHES 



The Romans reclined at dinner upon couches, which were sim- 

 ilar to their beds. The typical dining-room contained three couches, 

 each intended to accommodate three persons. The "upper" couch 

 (lectus summus) had a headboard, the "lower" (lectus imus) a foot- 

 board. See Mau-Kelsey, Pompeii, pp. 263, 367, 368; Ransom, Stud- 

 ies in Ancient Furniture, p. 32. The three couches of a set would 

 naturally be of a similar pattern, and in particular the two pairs of 

 curved end-rests (fulcra) would correspond. The descriptions of 

 the four following objects have been written on the assumption that 

 these objects in their original form were dining couches rather than 

 bedsteads. 



19. (24299) Couch 



Parts of two or three couches, improperly restored as a single couch with 

 five legs. 



Naples 72985. 



20. (24289) Couch 



Parts of one or more couches improperly restored as a seat. 



Naples in 764. There is probably no warrant for the curving form given in the restoration 

 to the two long sides. 



