According to legend, a donkey who was dragging a cart full of stones in Alexandria, Egypt, fell into a pit in the ground a long time ago. If true, the donkey had the honor of discovering one of the most amazing places in history. We are talking here about Kom El Shoqaf, ancient catacombs, completely different from ancient monuments of a similar type.

Whether or not the rumor of a donkey is true is not so important. An important part of the story is what was hidden inside that hole. According to historical records, it was a man known as Monsieur Es-Sayed Aly Gibarah, who informed the local museum about this place in 1900. He told the museum administration that he came across an underground tomb while digging and collecting stones. At first, the museum's curator doubted the report, but his doubts soon proved unfounded. The discovery of an underground shaft was truly a discovery of life.

Catacombs Kom el Shoqafa

According to archaeologists, the catacombs of Kom el Shoqaf resemble the largest burial grounds from the Greco-Roman period. Ancient Alexandria was a very interesting place, so it was no surprise that what had been hidden in the catacombs for centuries bore traces of various ancient cultures and arts. Alexandria chose its name from one of the most famous warriors in history - Alexander the Great. The city was founded in 331 BC and became a prominent center of power, culture and education. Here, for the first time under the rule of Greek rulers, ancient Greek and Egyptian cultures merged. This connection lasted until 31 BC, when Egypt was conquered by the Romans and the city was influenced by their culture.

The catacombs of Kom El Shoqaf served their purpose around the 2nd century AD. There are not many places where monuments depicting a mixture of Egyptian, Greek and Roman ancient cultures would be preserved. These catacombs fulfill this precisely, and this is the reason why they are considered one of the most remarkable remains of ancient Alexandria.

A pile of fragments

Entrance portal. Author: Roland Unger CC BY-SA 3.0

The name Kom el Shoqafa comes from ancient Greek. In translation, it means "a pile of fragments", which in this area were from ceramic vessels for food and wine, which acted as entrance to the tombs. Based on archaeological finds, it is probable that the tomb was originally built for members of one family, but later the burial ground grew to larger dimensions. Why this was the case is unknown. Of course, the Catacombs of Kom El Shoqaf are not the only ones built in Alexandria. Several other burial grounds were built as part of the necropolis of the so-called City of the Dead, which was probably situated in the western part of the city. While the necropolis disappeared over time, the Kom El Shoqafa resisted.

Above Kom El Shoqafa probably stood a huge funeral chapel. From the left part of this place, an 18-foot-wide round shaft descends underground. This shaft could be used to lower dead bodies with the help of a rope and a pulley system. Windows are located in the walls of the shaft, which allow the impact of light on the spiral staircase leading down to the underground.

catacombs

There is not much at the top of the burial ground, but there is a passage to the heart of the building, the middle part of the catacombs. This part strongly resembles Greek temples, and it is here that we can see some of the most striking features of the building. At the end of the staircase, we reach the vestibule of the "pronaos" temple between two columns.

In the hall behind the "pronaos" are the first of the fascinating works of art: intricate statues of a man and a woman, possibly depictions of the original tenants of the tomb. While the depictions of their bodies are carved in a typical Egyptian way, the head of a man corresponds to the Greek style and the head of a woman to the Roman style. Another intricate relief in the middle of the catacombs is the one with two snakes. These probably illustrate the Greek "Agathodaimon" or "good spirit". What is even more interesting, however, is what the elements of Roman and Egyptian culture are decorated with reliefs. Just above the heads of both snakes is another stunning image - a jellyfish. A well-known symbol of Greek mythology protecting the burial ground from uninvited guests.

Initially, the middle part was only a U-shaped corridor, but with an increasing number of buried, this part turned into a labyrinth consisting of several rooms and corridors. One floor below is another part of the ancient world, which is unfortunately flooded with water and visitors can not see what is hidden here. Even so, the Kom el Shoqafa catacombs are one of the best-preserved ruins in all of Egypt and are so exceptional due to the rich mix of ancient cultures. Although this building was built many years earlier, it is later mentioned as one of the seven wonders of the Middle Ages. Other monuments mentioned in connection with this list are also the Colosseum, the Hagia Sophia, the Great Wall of China, the Porcelain Tower in Nanjing, the Leaning Tower of Pisa and believe it or not, Stonehenge.

Tip from Sueneé Universe

Bret Stephenson: What Makes Boys Male - Spiritual Transition Rituals in an Age of Inattention

What is our society about when boys do not experience the ritual transition from boy to man? It is this work that deals with this. The author clarifies the extent to which our society impoverishes itself and its children by depriving them of the possibility of a ritualized transition to adulthood. In the following text, the author reconstructs the transitional rituals and ceremonies of male adulthood to suit our modern times.

"An excellent source of information and a practical guide on how to guide adolescents to a responsible approach to leadership in society and to adult masculinity - a necessary tool for parents, teachers, executives and managers." - Angeles Arrien, cultural anthropologist, author of Four Parts .

Bret Stephenson: What Makes Boys Male - Spiritual Transition Rituals in an Age of Inattention