Nile scene

These two scenes were part of the decoration on the inner facing of the podium surrounding the House of the Doctor VIII 5,24, together with the third famous element portraying the so-called Judgement of Solomon, which the Egyptian tradition, in attributing Pharaoh Bocchoris with the gift of wisdom, regarded as a familiar episode. Nevertheless, the main characters in this scene, which was to be found in the central section of the podium and which had a cuspidate frame, are all pigmies involved in a fierce battle against crocodiles and hippopotami; this was a common theme in this type of representation, be they paintings, mosaics or terracotta, and the scene continued over into the next panel, although this time the main subject was a relaxing banquet. Pigmies had already been depicted in ancient art in scenes showing them battling against cranes, their traditional foe, but were adopted by the Hellenistic age as symbols of a potential and even normal reality, both grotesque and humoristic, on the frontiers of the exotic Egyptian world along the banks of a river that was the only link with a world that was indeed populated with Negro and pygmy races. The clash with the evil beasts takes place in the waters of the Nile amongst natural islets and artificial platforms, such as the one in the foreground upon which stands an elegant statuarium with sacelli adorned with statues. While a pygmy attempts to drive away a crocodile by waving some threatening-looking but unidentifiable objects at it, on the opposite side of the river another fellow has managed to capture one of the reptiles and with the help of three companions on the bank is trying to steer it towards them. Off shore, a hippopotamus has been speared by a pygmy sitting astride its back, and has managed to capsize the small boat containing another four natives, and has set about devouring one of their number. The crew member who has remained aboard is holding his hands up despairingly, while another lies wounded in the water and another again is seen swimming off. In the background a rowing-boat with square sail containing what appear to be normal-size people is shown moving rightwards, and mud huts with thatched roofs complete the scene. The other scene also takes place in the open air on the banks of river. We can see a boat with ass-headed prow, full of wine-jars, containing two pygmies armed to the teeth with helmets, shields and spears. A hippopotamus is coming out of the water devouring a pygmy despite vain attempts to save him made by a companion wearing a conical hat who is trying to pull his unfortunate friend from the jaws of the beast, and who, in turn, is being helped by another pygmy who is sitting on the animal beating it with a jug which he has presumably taken from the banquet table nearby. In the shade of a canopy stretched among the trees, we can see a triclinial bed on which are sitting or lying five pygmies, all facing the centre where there is a round table with recipient. Next to this is a couple embracing to the sound of pipes played by a pygmy sitting nearby; the woman is wearing on her head a garland of flowers typical of banquets. From the right hand side we see a small dancing procession made up of a pygmy in a short tunic waving a baton, followed by an ibis, and then two more figures again holding batons but this time wearing long tunics; they might be women, as are the last two characters in the group who can be seen chatting serenely on the edge of the picture, which is bordered by a building with long wall with arrow-slits. Bibliography: NSc. 1882, pp.322-323; EAA s.v. Pigmei; K. Schefold, Vergessenes Pompeji, 1954 pp. 77-78, 154-155; Pompeii AD79, Cat. Boston, p. 87 n.89

Fonte: MANN
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