The Catacombs (meaning underground tunnels) lie in the district of Karmouz to the east of Alexandria. The area was called Kom El-Shouqafa or pile of the broken pottery dishes. The cemetery dates back to the 1st century A.D. and was used until the 4th century A.D. It was discovered in 1900 when, by chance when a donkey-drawn cart fell into a pit, which led to the discovery of this necropolis was dug inside the rock to a depth of 35 meters (115 feet), It consists of three levels, all located under the ground level. However, due to flooding that occurred in this area, the lowest level is now inaccessible.
The Catacombs of Kom El Shuqafa have a mixture of Roman, Hellenistic, Pharaonic, and ancient Egyptian decorative art, elements that were all common during this period in Alexandria.
The Catacombs in Alexandria was called that because the design was very similar to the Christian Catacombs of Rome. The Alexandrian catacombs were most likely a private tomb but later converted to a public cemetery. It consists of three burial chambers with three recesses on it and in each recess there is a sarcophagus.
The Catacombs contain a large number of Luculi or grooves cut in the rock, where coffins are stored. For a long time the 2nd level of the tomb was closed for visitors because it was submerged in underground water but after decreasing the level of the subsoil water in 1995, the 2nd level was opened to visitors, The entrance leads to a spiral staircase of 99 steps that goes around a shaft, which was used to lower the body of the deceased, by means of ropes, to prevent any damages to it.
Some slits were cut into the sides of the shaft to allow the daylight through to the staircase that wasused by the visitors,The staircase leads to a vestibule with two niches on both sides. The top of each niche is in the shape of a shell, while the inferior part contains a half round bench, cut into the rock, which was used by the visitors to take some rest after descending the stairs of the tomb
The vestibule leads to a circular hall called the “rotunda”. In the center of this hall, a shaft was cut leading to the 2nd story of the tomb and surrounded by a small enclosure wall called the “parapet”, on top of which is a dome, supported by six pillars. Between the pillars, there were some figures of human heads, some of which were discovered and transferred to the Greco-Roman Museum in Alexandria. To the left of the rotunda is a vestibule which leads to a chamber,That chamber was also cut into the rock and its ceiling is supported by 4 pillars, It contains 3 benches, again cut in the rock, and takes the shape of the letter U. This chamber was called the “Triclinium”. Most probably, the room was dedicated for visitors,After you descend to the hall that passes the Rotunda there is a small hall in front. In this vestibule, we see to the east a statue of a man inside a niche; while to the west there is a statue of a woman inside a niche. Both statues were sculpted in the Egyptian way, with some features of Greek art. 2 composite columns, containing a mixture of Egyptian and Greco-Roman elements, support the façade of this hall. Among the Egyptian elements is the winged sun disk, the Falcon God Horus, and the Uraeaus or the cobra, while the Greco-Roman elements are represented in the pediment, at top of the chamber.
The façade of the main burial chamber is decorated with some Greek elements, such as the shield of the Goddess Athena, on top of which is the head of Medusa. As we know, according to the ancient Greek myths, Medusa was able to petrify anyone who looked into her eyes. The representation of Medusa here was to protect the tomb.
Under Medusa is a huge serpent with a double crown. Once we enter the burial chamber, which was completely cut into the rock, we see 3 large recesses, each one containing a sarcophagus. The burial chamber has a vaulted roof supported by 4 square pillars whose capitals take the shape of Papyrus. The sarcophagus and its lid are cut completely from one block of rock. The body of the deceased was placed in the sarcophagus through an opening in the back walland then it was blocked after burying the body with stonesThe most important scene on the front wall above the sarcophagus represents a mummy lying on a funerary bed
The Tomb of Tigrane
The Tomb of Tigrane is situated a few meters away from the main entrance to the catacombs. It is famous for its wall paintings with Pharaonic funerary motifs, mixed with some Greek symbols, and executed in the typical Alexandrian Hellenistic style. The Tomb of Tigrane dates back to the 1st century A.D. and was discovered in 1952. It is located inside a necropolis near Tigrane Pasha Street, now Por said Street, one of the most important routes of Alexandria nowadays, and was then transported to its present location today.
