Uncovering Alexandria’s Hidden Catacombs

Our first destination in Egypt was Alexandria and the last episode covered most of the sites we visited. However, the catacombs or underground tombs in the outskirts of Alexandria is where we are going today. Join me…

An insight into the catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa

These catacombs are essentially underground tombs widely believed to have been used between the 2nd and 4th centuries . It was initially intended as the burial facility for one family but it is still not clear how it went on to house numerous other tombs.

An accidental discovery; these ancient tombs are one of the most important archaeological sites here. A donkey wandering along, accidentally fell into the shaft of these tombs and they were discovered while rescuing the donkey. It stands as an excellent example of a combination of Greek , Roman and Egyptian architecture

Soon after this discovery, archaeologists started excavations and found the spiral staircase going around the shaft. At the bottom was a domed circular room known as rotunda.

The term Kom El Shoqafa in Arabic means “Mounds of Shards”. When discovered , the area was strewn with broken clay pots and containers and hence the name. It is believed that the relatives of the dead who visited the tombs carried food and wine for their kin and after offering it to them, broke the pots there leading to the accumulation of such debris.

Our Visit

Reaching the excavation site, we were quite intrigued by the presence of apartment dwellings adjacent to the site. In fact, the whole area is like a courtyard surrounded by buildings; most of them dilapidated .

The central courtyard around which the tombs are located with dwellings surrounding it.

A board outside explains the layout of the tombs

The catacombs consist of three levels cut into solid rock and can be approached via a circular stairway going around the central shaft.

The winding stairway going around the central shaft

Standing at the bottom of the central shaft

There is a domed circular room called the rotunda with several portrait statues having multicultural elements.

A mummification painting showing multicultural features

The Medusa head on the ceiling appearing to guard the chamber

There are multiple burial recesses at various levels.

The hall and the tomb chambers

A hall with multiple pillars with a flight of stairs leads to the principal tomb chamber

The hall with pillars leading to the stairway towards the principal tomb chamber

The Principal Tomb chamber

There is a temple like facade in front of the principal tomb chamber with the winged sun disc decorating the top .

Two columns flanking the entrance have a snake sculpture showing features of Greek ,Roman and Egyptian architecture and topped by a shield decorated with the Medusa. The imagery is believed to be to ward off grave robbers.

The entrance with the winged sun disc on top and snake and Medussa at the side.

The tomb chamber is decorated with the sculpture of the jackal headed God Anubis (God of mummification) performing a mummification of a body on a lion headed bed. Vulture headed Gods supervise the process. The organs of the body are believed to have been removed from the body and preserved in jars called canopic jars.

The central panel of the tomb chamber showing the jackal headed Anubis engaged in mummification process. Below the bed are three canopic jars used for organ preservation.

On either side are statues of a man and woman carved into the wall again showing mixed architecture. Greek and Roman characteristics with Egyptian decorations are typical of these statues conveying evidence of a multicultural society.

The statue of the lady on one side showing multicultural features

Along the sides of the chamber are three huge stone coffins with unremovable lids. Bodies are believed to have been inserted here through an outer passage way.

On going further down, there are chambers with multiple burial recesses presumably for the commoners.

The hall with multiple burial recesses for commoners

I must admit that the place generates an eerie feeling as one goes from one burial chamber to the other. But the as yet preserved paintings and inscriptions are indeed a wonder.

With mixed feelings we exited the tomb chambers but not before a picture…

Time for a picture before we exited the tomb complex

We moved on to explore the other sights at Alexandria, which have already been covered in the last episode.

The contents of this episode call for an end on a somber note….so let me leave you with that.

See you at the Pyramids next week…

Till then, do subscribe, comment and give your feedback…