Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa

The Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa, Egypt, is a set of catacombs that had their origins in the first century and early second century. During the Roman domination, these catacombs are also called the Catacombs of Alexandria. They were discovered in 1892 and obtained their name thanks to the similarities in their design with the Christian catacombs of Rome.

It is believed that this place was a private tomb that was later converted into a public cemetery. Due to its extension and antiquity, it is also considered one

The Secrets and Mysteries of the Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa

1- It dates back to the Roman era, and is located in the Karmouz neighborhood west of Alexandria, and was given this name in honor of the ancient Greek name

2- The Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities, in cooperation with US aid, began a project to reduce the level of groundwater, and the dangers that threaten it from the salts that were spread on its walls, in August 2018, where 6 wells with a depth of 40 meters were completed, and the groundwater that was in them, since its discovery in 1900, was removed after the use of specialists in this field in cooperation with the American side.

3- The tombs are characterized by many drawings dating back to the middle of the Roman era and also found coins dating back to the period between the reign of Traiman and the reign of Clinius the Younger, and it seems from this that the tomb was used until the beginning of the fourth century AD, then it was neglected.

4- Excavations in the surrounding area began in 1892, but the tomb was only found in 1900 by chance, when a "donkey" was passing by it and fell into the main opening of the tomb at a depth of 21 meters, and the incident led to its discovery.

Fcates of Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa

1- Many archaeologists who were working on it confirmed that it was initially used as a cemetery for a wealthy family, then it was used to bury many families, as some chambers and burial holes were added in the walls in one or two rows above each other.

2- It has an entrance above the ground surface followed by a spiral staircase leading to the first ground floor, which consists of a vestibule connected to a round-shaped hall with a well in the center and a staircase leading to the second ground floor where the main part of the burial is located.

3- The cemetery is one of the so-called "kata komp", a type of cemetery that spread in the first three centuries A.D. The "kata komp" is the main cemetery in the Kom El Shagafa area, and it received this name due to the similarity in planning between it and the Christian "kata komp" tombs in Rome, a term for tombs dug underground.