42 THE ATRIUM VESTZ. 
from the bottom. The part towards the west has been almost wholly 
destroyed,’ although that leading to the rooms on the southeast’ is still 
preserved. 
The rooms of the second story correspond in general to those of the lower 
floor and of the mezzanino. Since, however, the walls are somewhat narrower 
than those below, to which they correspond in position, the rooms are a 
trifle larger. On the north side of the narrow corridor in which the stairway 
ends are three large rooms® looking out over the garden. The rooms on the 
south‘ are much smaller and have been raised to the level of those opposite 
by the insertion of double floors.® At the end of the corridor are three other 
rooms® which, like the mezzanino, are lighted from the open court. These 
rooms were connected directly with the Nova Via by a small door. At the 
rear of the court a passage-way was thrown across to the opposite side, where 
there are scanty remains of a stairway’ leading to the third story and of one 
room,® both of which seem to be of a later period. It is possible that this 
part of the building was originally occupied by a terrace. Behind the exedra 
are the remains of a passage-way leading to the rooms on the north. 
The height of the rooms is about 5 meters. The pavements which remain 
belong probably to a later period, since there are traces of others at a lower 
level. Beneath all the rooms, except the three next to the garden, are hypo- 
causts of a later period. It is probable that the double floors of the original 
building were the same height, since the level of the rooms would otherwise 
have been below the level of the corridor. The group of rooms was probably 
that in which were the private apartments of the Vestals. The smaller rooms 
may have been used for baths as was the case later. 
Construction and Materials: The walls of the new rooms agree in con- 
struction with those elsewhere recognized as of the period of the Antonines. 
The walls of the lower story are 89 or 75 centimeters thick, while those of 
the upper stories are either 75 or 60 centimeters. There are no bonding- 
courses in any of the walls.° The materials used do not differ from those 
of the preceding period. 
1The supporting wall has, however, been pre- ‘It is possible that these were intended, when 
served and is identical in width and con- built, for hypocausts. There are no traces 
struction with that corresponding to it on of any means for heating them, however, 
the other side. A second wall exists behind until later. 
this supporting wall, the purpose of which © Plan F a, 9-11. 
is not clear. 7Plan F b, 13d. 
2 Plan F a, 2. 8 Plan Fd, 13 a. 
2 Plan F a, 3-5. ® This is the most striking difference in construction 
4 Plan F a, 6-8. between this and the preceding period. 
