Avenches – Roman Museum – Permanent Exhibition
Avenches – Roman Museum – Permanent Exhibition Avenches – Roman Museum – Permanent Exhibition
Ground Floor Miscellaneous 24. Marble inscription in honour of [---] dius Flavus Discovered in insula 40, at the edge of the forum. Last quarter of the 1st century AD. Catalogue of inscriptions no. 1. 25. Dedication in honour of Septimius Severus Discovered in insula 40, at the edge of the forum. AD 193-211. Catalogue of inscriptions no. 8. 27. Inscription on mosaic adorning a semi-public building (1) Discovered in insula 29, next to the forum. Early 3rd century AD. Catalogue of inscriptions no. 19. Catalogue of mosaics no. 2. Miscellaneous 28. Mosaic depicting Hercules and Antaeus (2) The tessellated floor consists of a series of pictures with the central laurel-framed image representing the fight between Hercules and Antaeus. Hunting and animal fight scenes are depicted in the centre, at each side of the main medallion. Antaeus was an African king, who drew his enormous strength from the earth and had to touch soil in order to be able to defeat his enemies. When Hercules was threatened by Antaeus, they began to wrestle; Hercules grabbed his opponent by the shoulders and lifted him up so that he could not renew his strength, and then he squashed and destroyed him. Here, Hercules is wearing a wreath and is thus depicted as a triumphant athlete. The corner squares show people that look like wrestlers because of their broad shoulders, muscular chests and thick necks. They are wearing wreathes made of leaves similar to that of Hercules. They are quite obviously victorious wrestlers. All the figurative motifs combined convey an image of triumph of bodily strength. Original dimensions: 5 m by 4.5 m. Private house situated in insula 59. Second quarter of the 3rd century AD. Catalogue of mosaics no. 20. 29. Mosaic depicting gladiators This almost square piece of tessellated floor decorated the centre of a room, perhaps a dining room with three beds arranged in a U-shape (triclinium) along the walls. The geometric design is conceived in such a way that ones attention is drawn to the centrepiece. The badly damaged central scene depicts two fighting gladiators. While only their legs are preserved, they are easily recognised as gladiators because of the coloured bands tied around their knees indicating which troupe they were part of. Original dimensions: 2 m by 2.5 m. Northern suburb, private house situated north of insula 5. Second half of the 2nd century AD. Catalogue of mosaics no. 5. 30. Limestone relief with head of the god Sol The Roman representations of this god are inspired by the Hellenistic iconography of Helios. This relief may have belonged to a large bust placed in the centre of the gable of a building. Probably from insula 19. Late 1st century AD. 1 2 19 Ground Floor
Ground Floor Miscellaneous 31. Limestone statue of a lion (1) The lion’s paw is resting on the head of an animal, maybe a bull or a horse. This is a decoration of a fountain; the front base is hollow so that a water pipe could be inserted. Discovered in the region of Derrière la Tour, originating probably from the western part of insula 16. First half of the 2nd century AD. 32. The so-called «Red Drawing Room» mural This mural decorated the living room or dining room of a private house, located in the northeastern part of the town. While the painting is relatively modest for a reception room, the work was carried out by experienced artisans. The dark red background colour, which is rarely found north of the Alps, takes up a large area of the wall. The dividing decorative elements, placed at regular intervals, consist of ornamental stands entwined by tendrils and ribbons, candelabra with crossed thyrsi and pilaster-strips. These vertical motifs are surrounded by small pictures or medallions containing female busts, a comedy mask and a bird. The lower part was redesigned approximately 15 to 25 years later and is divided into yellow panes with tufts of plants and narrower panels in flecked wine red marble imitation. This mural is a good example of the Pompeian Third Style as it developed in Gaul with certain characteristics of the Fourth Style already appearing. The Pompeian paintings were classified into four styles in the late 19th century. The classification is still used today as a basis for the chronology and typology of paintings throughout the Roman Empire. The Pompeian Third Style appeared around 20 – 15 BC, during the reign of the emperor Augustus. It is characterised by the rejection of the illusionist architecture of the preceding Second Style and by large colour panels decorated with various motifs, often miniatures. The Fourth Style, which began under Claudius (AD 41 – 54), preferably consisted of symmetrically placed motifs and architectural dividing elements. Insula 18. Around AD 45. 1 20 Ground Floor
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Ground Floor Miscellaneous<br />
31. Limestone statue of a lion (1)<br />
The lion’s paw is resting on the head of an animal, maybe a bull or a horse. This is a<br />
decoration of a fountain; the front base is hollow so that a water pipe could be inserted.<br />
Discovered in the region of Derrière la Tour, originating probably from the western part<br />
of insula 16.<br />
First half of the 2nd century AD.<br />
32. The so-called «Red Drawing Room» mural<br />
This mural decorated the living room or dining room of a private house, located in the<br />
northeastern part of the town. While the painting is relatively modest for a reception<br />
room, the work was carried out by experienced artisans.<br />
The dark red background colour, which is rarely found north of the Alps, takes up<br />
a large area of the wall. The dividing decorative elements, placed at regular intervals,<br />
consist of ornamental stands entwined by tendrils and ribbons, candelabra with crossed<br />
thyrsi and pilaster-strips. These vertical motifs are surrounded by small pictures or<br />
medallions containing female busts, a comedy mask and a bird. The lower part was<br />
redesigned approximately 15 to 25 years later and is divided into yellow panes with tufts<br />
of plants and narrower panels in flecked wine red marble imitation.<br />
This mural is a good example of the Pompeian Third Style as it developed in Gaul with<br />
certain characteristics of the Fourth Style already appearing. The Pompeian paintings<br />
were classified into four styles in the late 19th century. The classification is still used<br />
today as a basis for the chronology and typology of paintings throughout the <strong>Roman</strong><br />
Empire. The Pompeian Third Style appeared around 20 <strong>–</strong> 15 BC, during the reign of the<br />
emperor Augustus. It is characterised by the rejection of the illusionist architecture of<br />
the preceding Second Style and by large colour panels decorated with various motifs,<br />
often miniatures. The Fourth Style, which began under Claudius (AD 41 <strong>–</strong> 54), preferably<br />
consisted of symmetrically placed motifs and architectural dividing elements.<br />
Insula 18. Around AD 45.<br />
1<br />
20<br />
Ground Floor
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