Rome, Catacombe di Domitilla: MRA-ITA-Rom231
Type Sample Item
Sample ID
- MRA-ITA-Rom231
Sample Material Type
- Plaster
Sample Sub-type
- fragment
Dimensions (cm)
- Length
- 3.7
- Width
- 4
- Height
- 1.5
Weight
- weight value (g)
- 13.4
Geographic Location
- Country
- Italy
- Place
- Rome
Site/monument
- Italy (ITA)
Rome
Catacombe di Domitilla
Historical note about the site/monument
- The catacombs are located near Via Appia Antica and are the site of early Christian burials dating from approximately the 1st to 5th centuries CE. Dug into tufa at a depth of around 16 meters, the catacombs hold over 26,000 tombs, some of which still contain human remains. The catacombs were named for Domitilla, who donated the land as a gesture of sympathy to Christians. The catacombs were rediscovered in the late 16th century by Antonio Bosio, sometimes called the “Columbus of the Catacombs.” Recent restoration efforts have uncovered frescoes bearing early Christian iconography, Biblical scenes, and pagan imagery (including a depiction of Orpheus and personifications of the seasons).
Further reading:
Bisconti, F. (2018). The Art of the Catacombs. In The Oxford Handbook of Early Christian Archaeology, William R. Caraher, Thomas W. Davis, and David K Pettegrew (Eds.) DOI: 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199369041.013.12.
Wikipedia contributors (2020, December 5). Catacombs of Domitilla. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved May 14, 2021, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Catacombs_of_Domitilla&oldid=992419531.
Chronological period (sample)
- 1st-5th century