In May 1978, the Australian Expedition to Pompeii began work on the House of the Colored Capitals, otherwise known as the House of Ariadne. The House was excavated in the 1830's but results were never fully published and parts of the record are now lost. The house contains over 50 rooms. Work began with compilation of a dossier of all prior work and finds. Following clearing of the undergrowth and modern detritus on the site a plan was drawn and a systematic examination of the building materials was underaken. Wall paintings were recorded photogrammetrically after having been sprayed (with an unspecified mixture) to make visible the paintings. The impossibility of complete conservation and maintenance of the site is discussed. -- AATA