By the time we got to the catacombs, the kids were already getting the idea that Alexandria sat at the crossroads of three great civilizations, Egyptian, Greek and Roman. The Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa is famous for precisely this reason – the tombs and features within the crypt merge the cultures and beliefs of these three civilizations. In Alexandria, it is not a contradiction for the catacombs to be the last major work depicting the religion of Ancient Egypt and Egypt’s largest Roman burial site.
The Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa is one of the 7 Wonders of the Middle Ages. It was constructed in the 2nd century AD as a crypt for just one family but over the subsequent 300 years, expanded to accommodate over 300 mainly unrelated deceased and even the remains of horses.
We entered the tombs by descending a spiral staircase. The corpses would have been lowered down the center using ropes. Dina showed us to the triclinium, which is a hall with benches or low tables, that relatives would have used to “picnic” each year on the anniversary of their loved one’s death. They would probably have stayed most of the day before returning to the world outside. The air was stuffy, not stifling, but it’s hard to imagine how this would have been an enjoyable activity. Visitors who came to mourn their loved ones over a “picnic” in the necropolis left the empty clay containers behind. The name, Kom El Shoqafa, which means “mound of shards” comes from the heaps of broken clay jars and plates that were found in the triclinium upon the discovery of the site in 1900 by an unsuspecting donkey who fell into a hole in the ground.
We walked through a maze of narrow walkways lined with different shapes and sizes of loculi (places for the bodies) that looked haphazardly cut into the rock. In contrast, the main tomb contained loculi that appeared to follow a plan.
For me, the most interesting part of the necropolis was the entryway to the main tomb chamber. This area is overflowing with iconography from each of the three cultures. On either side of the two columns, Agathodaemon, protector of Alexandria, is shown in snake form. Nearby each snake contains Egyptian, Greek and Roman symbols – The Egyptian double crown sits atop each snake’s head. The Greek Thyrsus or wand of leaves often associated with the Greek god Dionysus is beside each snake. The Roman caduceus or double-serpent staff carried by the Roman god Mercury is on the other side of each snake. Above each snake is a shield from Greek mythology, with Medusa’s image.
On the walls adjacent to the snakes are figures of a man and a woman. It is a bit more subtle, but the figures are carved in the typical Egyptian style, with stiff bodies. The man’s head and hair take on the life-like appearance of the Hellenistic style and the woman has a Roman hairstyle.
Then we approached several large sarcophagi also decorated with interesting fusion-style carvings. One panel depicts Anubis, god of the underworld, but dressed like a Roman soldier. He is mummifying a corpse lying atop a lion bed. There are three canopic jars sitting beneath the bed. The side panels depict the Apis-bull, a living God from the earliest times of Ancient Egypt and popular during the Ptolemaic era, receiving a gift.
Alexandria is the perfect example where culture and religion are shown to be a living, changing and ever-evolving aspect of human civilization. Religion and culture are constantly adapting to stay current and relevant. Ancient Egyptians from the Old Kingdom might just barely recognize the culture and beliefs of their distant descendants living in the Ptolemaic dynasty.
With the clarity of hindsight, we could see that Ancient Egypt took its last breaths in Alexandria, before being pushed past a point of no return. The religion and culture was in the process of adapting and evolving into something totally different. The new world order was at the gate. Stronger military forces and monotheistic religions, combined with Egypt’s own internal vulnerabilities and environmental calamities brought an end to a civilization that thrived for over three millennia.
Dina suggested we go to a seaside café to enjoy our last Egyptian sunset. We were shocked to arrive at a place called Tivoli Dome, a totally modern restaurant complex with spectacular 180-degree views of the sea. Since we left Cairo nearly a month ago, we hadn’t seen anything remotely like this. My thoughts of religion, culture and civilization vanished as we ordered and consumed all of the western junk food we hadn’t tasted for a month – fried chicken strips, French fries, ice cream and even cinnamon rolls from Cinnabon.
We had traversed the entire length of Egypt’s ancient history during this month, from the early pyramids of the Old Kingdom in Saqqara to the tombs and temples of the great Kings and Queens of the New Kingdom in Luxor and Aswan and now to the final chapter of Ancient Egypt, here in Alexandria. We concluded our month in Egypt in a completely modern and international setting in Egypt’s second largest city and in my opinion, one of its most beautiful.
We spent the next few hours enjoying the sea views and the company of Dina, who had over the past two days, become a friend. We chatted about family, interests, career and religion. We spent some time talking about the War in Gaza and learned quite a bit about the history and politics of the region.
When traveling, the friendship and bond with the people we meet is measured not by temporal duration but by the impression they make upon us. Dina is a kindred spirit, a strong, educated and intelligent woman who guided our family with passion and patience through her city, culture and religion while candidly and generously sharing her life and world view. I felt happy to be spending our last evening in Egypt with a friend. Insha allah, I hope someday we will have the chance to meet Dina again.
11/29 孔索加法地下墓
孔索加法地下墓，三層墓冢螺旋路。
神話體現雕刻美，三種文明融合處。