The Via Consolare Project examines the urban development and growth of Pompeii through active field research including archaeological excavation, 3-D topographic survey, wall construction analysis, rectified photographic recording, and geophysical remote sensing. The Project seeks to explain the processes of urbanization that produced the composition and layout of the north-western part of city from the time of its original foundation until its destruction in 79 CE. To this end, research focuses on two separate areas of the ancient city: Insula VII 6, and the Villa delle Colonne a mosaico together with the long row of shops on its western side. The examination of these areas in tandem permits conclusions to be drawn not only about the rich and varied history of use and re-use that each area preserves, but also about changing priorities in the urban landscape of the ancient city as a whole.

Given their differing proximities to both the forum and the city wall, VII 6 and the Villa delle Colonne a mosaico present information on both urban and surburban environments – two Pompeian contexts that might be expected to have been strikingly different in terms of their historical development and daily use of space. However, study of the extant remains in both areas reveals a remarkably similar composition, especially during Pompeii’s final years, consisting of domestic structures, small business ventures, industrial activities, sacred foundations, government-regulated spaces, and areas that experienced high-volume pedestrian and wheeled traffic. Whether these similarities existed throughout Pompeii’s history or were relatively recent developments has great significance for the interpretation of the distinction between Roman urban and suburban zones.

The potential role of the Via Consolare in facilitating or creating this situation must also be considered. Excavations designed to clarify these important questions commenced in 2008 on the southern side of Insula VII 6 between doorways 26 and 27, revealing the foundations and chronology of the Nocera tuff faced shop frontages in this area. These were augmented by preliminary cleaning in house VII 6, 30. Further excavation and analysis is planned for the future in order to reveal the role of these areas and their specific relationships with the Via Consolare in the history of city planning at the site.