Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa

The catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa (Arabic: مقابر كوم الشقافة, romanized: Maqābir Kūm al-Shuqāfah, lit. 'Mound of Shards') are an amazing old place in Alexandria, Egypt. People call it one of the Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages.

These catacombs are full of old tombs, statues, and special objects. They show a mix of Egyptian, Greek, and Roman styles. One big round staircase leads down into the tombs carved into rock. People used the catacombs to bury their loved ones from the 2nd to the 4th century. They were rediscovered in 1900 when a donkey fell into a hole. So far, three big stone boxes for holding bodies have been found, along with other bones of people and animals.

One special room is called the Hall of Caracalla. It holds the bones of the horses of emperor Caracalla. The tombs there were made for his family in the year 215 CE.

Catacombs

The catacombs are called Kom El Shoqafa, which means "Mound of Shards." This name comes from old broken clay pieces found in the area. People who visited the tombs often brought food and drinks. They broke the clay containers and left them there. When the catacombs were found, many of these broken pieces were still there.

Layout

The catacombs are under part of Alexandria and have three levels made from solid rock. The third level used to be underwater but has been fixed. There is a central shaft with six pillars that leads to a room called the vestibule. To the left of this room is a triclinium, a special hall for funeral meals. Friends and family would gather here on stone couches with cushions during burials and later visits to remember the person.

Visitors can enter the first level through a hole in the wall of the rotunda. This area is called the Hall of Caracalla, and it contains bones from both horses and humans.

Principal tomb chamber

At the front of the tomb chamber, there is a temple-like design with two columns topped by symbols from ancient Egypt, such as papyrus, lotus, and acanthus leaves. These columns support an architrave with a winged sun-disk and carvings of Horus falcons. A carved snake, representing Agathodaemon, stands on each side of the entrance to the inner tomb, wearing symbols from both Roman and Greek cultures.

The chamber contains three large stone sarcophagi along its sides. It is believed that bodies were placed inside through a hidden passageway. The walls of the chamber have carved spaces for burial, and the sarcophagi are decorated with designs from Greek mythology. One panel shows a figure from ancient Egyptian beliefs, and others show symbols of ancient gods receiving gifts.

Gallery principal tomb chamber

The gallery shows the entrance to the main tomb chamber. You can see a picture of the god Anubis wrapping up a body. There is also a nicely decorated sarcophagus and a picture of a bull named Apis.