Sundials • Sundials were usually carved on a panel of stone that was then erected either high on a freestanding pillar or on the wall of a sunny courtyard. An example of a sundial on a pillar can be found in the courtyard of the Temple of Apollo in Pompeii (fig. 42). Although dials have often been found in the gardens of small houses, the most famous one was that in the public park near the Mausoleum of Augustus in Rome. There a large horizontal sundial was inscribed in the park's paving. To provide a suitably large gnomon —the marker whose shadow indicates the correct time on a dial—a granite obelisk was imported from Egypt. GARDEN FURNITURE
Outdoor relaxation and dining were part of summer life in an ancient Roman garden. This created the need for a variety of garden furniture, some of which was built in as part of the garden architecture. For example, built-in masonry couches were an important feature for outdoor meals, as Romans usually ate while reclining rather than sitting. Fabric cushions, covers, and other textiles made the couches comfortable when they were in use. The dining couches were usually arranged around three sides of a central serving table, in an arrangement called a "triclinium." The fourth side was left free to allow access to the table or tables. Although couches were occasionally carved in marble or stone, they were usually cast in concrete, which was sometimes covered with decorative mosaics or paintings (figs. 43,44).
Fig. 13.
Dining room recently excavated at Murecine, near the Bay of Naples. A dining alcove, whether indoors or outdoors, was often planned in the form of a triclinium, in which three built-in masonry couches — Romans dined while reclining rather than sitting — formed three sides of the alcove's square. The fourth side was left open to allow for service. A circular table in the alcove center had a water outlet with which to wash or cool the food before serving.
Fig. 44Couch in dining room at Murecine. A detail illustrates how the surface of each couch in a triclinium sloped upward toward the alcove's center and had a pillow-like headpiece and a narrow shelf incorporated along the front for resting drinking and other vessels. Cushions and coverlets made the couches comfortable.