Anfushi Tombs, Alexandria

The Anfushi Tombs are a Greco-Roman burial complex cut into limestone, dating mainly to the late Ptolemaic and early Roman periods. Discovered in stages between 1901 and 1921, the complex is reached by a deep vaulted stairway leading down to an open-air central courtyard, which acts as an underground hub for the surrounding chambers.

The layout has the feel of a Greek-style house, but its decoration speaks in several cultural languages at once. In Tomb I, doorways are framed with a frieze of uraei, or sacred rearing cobras, a distinctly Egyptian protective symbol. In Tomb II, carved sphinxes guard the inner chambers, while a staircase painting shows the deceased being led by Horus before a pharaonic couple, likely tied to the Ptolemaic court.

Visitors should look closely at the painted surfaces. The lower walls imitate marble and alabaster, while vaulted ceilings use geometric trompe-l’oeil patterns that suggest woven textiles or coffered ceilings from elite Mediterranean interiors. Funnel-shaped openings bring light and air into the chambers, while ancient graffiti scratched into the plaster preserves traces of earlier visitors and mourners.