Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa, Alexandria (must see)

The Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa form one of the most remarkable burial complexes from Egypt’s Roman period. The site is thought to date mainly from the 2nd century AD and was likely first created for a wealthy family before being expanded into a larger communal necropolis. Its name means “Mound of Shards,” after pottery discarded from funerary meals. The complex once had three levels, but the lowest is now flooded and closed.

Visitors today enter the catacombs through a spiral staircase cut into the rock. The spiral stairway was likely used to lower bodies into the tombs, while mourners walked down beside them. It leads to the Rotunda, a circular shaft that brought light and air underground. The chambers were carved from solid limestone, with pillars left in place to support the rock above.

The main burial chamber shows a striking blend of Egyptian, Greek, and Roman traditions. At its entrance, two carved Agathodaemon serpents act as guardian figures, but their appearance is deliberately mixed: they wear the Egyptian double crown and hold the Roman caduceus, the staff associated with Hermes. Above the doorway, Medusa’s head serves as a protective symbol. Inside, Egyptian gods appear with Roman-style details among sarcophagi, niches, and painted decoration.

Another important section is the so-called Hall of Caracalla, a mass burial chamber linked by tradition to violence during the reign of Emperor Caracalla in the early 3rd century AD. The chamber contained mixed human and horse bones, though their exact origin remains debated. The catacombs also include a triclinium, a funerary dining room used for ritual meals honouring the dead.