In these premises a brick counter was provided where clay jars for the storage of food were set, in addition lo a range of brick shelves for keeping kitchenware and glasses and a cooker to heat up dishes. Cauponae may also contain other rooms, such as dining rooms for customers or also couch-beds positioned under pergolas outdoors.
The Caupona I 8, 8 has been attributed to Vetutius Placidus, whose name appears - together with the name of bis wife Ascula or Ascla - in the electoral advertisement painted on the fa~ade of the building but also indicated as addressee of some clay amphorae found inside the house adjoining the caupona and communicating with it. The premises consist of a large room opening up onto the busy Via dell'Abbondanza, and was largely occupied by a U-shaped brick counter containing 11 clay jars (dolia) for the daily stock of foodstuffs and drinks to be served.

A stove, positioned on the counter facing the eastern wall, was intended for heating food. To the right of the entrance there were stairs leading to a cellar. On the rear wall, between two doors leading to a dining room, to a backgarden and to the inside of the house, there is a fresco painting of the Fourth Style, representing a lararium where a man wrapped in a cloak and holding a cornucopia (Genius) is performing a sacrifice over a small folding altar. On either side of him stand two young men wearing a short tunic (Lares) who are pouring wine from a horn-shaped vase (rhvtòn) into a small pail. The scene is flanked by two deities who protect the business of Vetutius: Mercury, the god of commerce, holding a bag of coins and its symbol, the caduceus and Bacchus, the god of wine, crowned with a wreath of ivy and leaning on a post, while he is giving a panther a cup of wine. On the top of the scene there are two snakes approaching an altar, a symbol designed to bring good luck. On the top of the painting, above the frame of the pediment, another small triangular pediment can be seen, the remains of a previous version of the fresco.

In addition to the numerous amphorae, found in the back-garden, and some bronze ware, the most interesting fim:ing consisted of a huge number i v bronze coins found in one of the doli,, of the counter (374 as and 1237 quacirant equal to a sum of 683 sestercesl. a considerable sum which has been interpreted as the earnings of a couple of days rather than a sum stored by the owner and hidden in the agitated moments preceding the burial of the city.
In other cases, as in neighbouring thermopoliurn of Asellina (IX 11, 2) whose findings are displayed in the Antiquarium of Boscoreale, large bronzeware was found scattered through the counter, in addition to clay and glass vessels and other items such as oil lamps, numerous coins and a bone coin-holder. In the suburbs of the city, around Porta Stabia and the amphitheatre, there were many cauponae fitted with large rooms inside, intended for outdoor dining, as is the case of the building VIII 7, 6, at the so-called `Orto dei Fuggiaschi' (1 21, 2), Euxinus's Caupona (I 11, 10-11). or the one with an outdoor couch-bed with two fountains (II 9, 7). These buildings, besides bars, inns and restaurants, also served as gambling dens and meeting places with brothels sited nearby or on the upper floor. Enjoyable scenes of popular painting are painted on the walls of some of them, such as Salvius's Caupona (VI 14, 35-36), witnessing the phases of a dice game and the ensuing brawl.

Source
Soprintendenza Archeologica di Pompei