Investigations in the twin houses VI.14.39 and VI.14.40 have shown that they were built at the same time in the first half of the 3rd century B.C. at a point in the insula that was already occupied in the archaic period. In fact, a wall, found below the domus VI.14,40, built in blocks of pappamonte at a right angle to the Vicolo dei Vetti, dates to this period. (Elena Tommasino)

The substantial remains of a primitive structure of the 3rd century were uncovered within _domus_ VI.14.40. In particular the _cubiculum_ situated north of the _fauces_, decorated with I Style painting had a _pavimentum Graecanicum_, and part of the southern sector of the _atrium_ were identified. Here, below the sequence relating to the late Republican crushed lava pavement, two beaten earth floors of the mid to late Samnite period came to light and thus date the earliest building in the _domus_ to the mid 3rd century-first half of the 2nd century B.C. Moreover, it was possible to verify that the long archaic wall in pappamonte stone, uncovered below the same sector, ended almost in correspondence with the southern _cubiculum_ of the Samnite _domus_, although no traces of a road surface were identified beyond the end of the wall. Therefore, at present there is no evidence to support the hypothesis that the continuation of Vicolo Storto passed by here during the Archaic period. (Cristina Marano – Elena Tommasino)