Pompei has been studied by scholars since the 18th century. And one focus of interest has been the Pompeian house. Which forms itself into a number of related types. But which generally features certain noteworthy features. So let's take a moment and look at where these folks typically would've lived. The middle class homes lined thestreets of Pompeii and often had small shops. Little mom and pop businesses iat front of the house. To reach the family quarters, one went through a little corridor called the fauces, F-A-U C-E-S or the jaws of the house. Unless you entered into the main area known as the atrium, A-T-R-I-U-M. Now the atrium was normally open to the sky, to allow rainwater to come in. And be stored within a cistern below a central, sunken, little pool. Which caught and stored the water coming in the roof. The open part of the atrium was know as the compluvium, where the water would come in. And the little catch basin was the impluvium. The cisterna was below it. One then progressed back in the house. To a tablinum, t-a-b-l- i-n-u-m which might function as a reception area. And then you go beyond it, one would continue to a colinated backyard, or a peristylium, a peristyle area. Or an open air garden which was called an hortus, h-o-r-t-u-s. Now within the house would be at least one dining room or Triclinium t-r-i-c-l-i-n-u-m, triclinium. As well as sleeping quarters where a cubicula, the cubiculum, would be C-u-b-i-c-u-l-u-m. There could also be a kitchen. And chamber pots were also used in place of actually toilet facilities with plumbing. There would be a lararium, L-a-r-a-l-i-u-m, or place of worship for the divinities of the house. Which would also be the site of appropriate veneration of ancestors of the family. And this was located often near to the atrium. Pompeian houses are currently being studied with the aid of computers. In fact, why don't we pause for a moment and take a look.