Detail of -- House of Venus in the Shell—Especially famous for the back wall of the interior courtyard which is decorated with the great and spectacular fresco with Venus, which gives the house its name. On the lower part, a luxurious garden is depicted over a barrier with exotic plants and animals. The upper part of the wall is divided into three panels with different scenes: to the right, a fountain that birds drink from; to the left, a statue of Mars with a spear and shield on a pedestal. In the centre, two cherubs accompany Venus, protectress of Pompeii and the erotic sphere, lying in a large shell. The goddess, completely naked, wears only a tiara on her head and jewellery around her neck, wrists and ankles. The house belonged to a branch of the family of the Satrii, very prominent in the last few years of the city. Date of excavation: 1933-1935; 1951-1953. The next five pages are from this house.