In October 2007 three trenches were opened in domus IX, 7, 21, already excavated in 2004, with the aim of defining its plan. Two trenches were dug on the sidewalk and one in the shop facing onto it. They revealed the first layout of the domus, datable to the 3rd century B.C. In this phase the house had its main entrance on the viu mefiu, with narrow fauces on either side of which were two rooms of equal dimensions. Both the fauces and the western room were obliterated and incorporated into the shop at number IX, 7, 22, probably during the building phase of the end of the 1st century B.C.

A third trench was dug in the garden of the domus, revealing clear evidence of some transformations to its layout, such as the blocking of an opening which previously linked this house with some rooms which are now part of house IX, 7, 20.

The trench led to the reconstruction of the entire chronological sequence of this part of the house, that had not always been a garden. In fact, there were several walls dating to at least the 3rd century B.C., delimiting a room which developed beyond the present eastern limit of the garden – below the wall dividing it from house IX, 7, 20 – whose plan could not be retrieved. These structures were deliberately obliterated in at least the 2nd century B.C.; the floor level was raised in this period and perhaps the eastern wall delimiting the space was also constructed.

Future excavations will aim to complete the 3rd century B.C. plan of this part of the house and define its relationship with the other rooms identified to date, in particular the present atrium and the rooms behind it.