MONUMENTAL TOMBS OF ANCIENT ALEXANDRIA The Theater of the Dead

15 Pages·2002·0.2 MB·English

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MONUMENTAL TOMBS OF ANCIENT
ALEXANDRIA
The Theater of the Dead
marjorie susan venit
UniversityofMaryland
iii
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publishedbythepresssyndicateoftheuniversityofcambridge
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(cid:2)C MarjorieSusanVenit2002
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Firstpublished2002
PrintedintheUnitedKingdomattheUniversityPress,Cambridge
TypefaceSabon10/13pt. SystemLATEX2ε [tb]
AcatalogrecordforthisbookisavailablefromtheBritishLibrary.
LibraryofCongressCataloginginPublicationData
Venit,MarjorieSusan.
MonumentaltombsofancientAlexandria: thetheaterofthedead / MarjorieSusanVenit.
p. cm.
isbn0-521-80659-3
1.Tombs–Egypt–Alexandria. 2.Alexandria(Egypt)–Antiquities. 3.Alexandria
(Egypt)–Socialconditions. 4.Art–Egypt–Alexandria. I.Title.
dt73.a4v47 2002
932–dc21 2001037994
isbn0521806593hardback
iv
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CONTENTS
ListofColorPlates page ix
ListofIllustrations xi
Acknowledgments xv
Introduction 1
1 TheMonumentalTombsofAncientAlexandria:SettingtheScene 7
2 TheEarliestAlexandrianMonumentalTombsandTheirAntecedents 22
TheEasternCemetery 22
TheEarlyAlexandrianCemetery 24
TheEarliestMonumentalTombs 26
IllusionisminEarlyAlexandrianTombs 34
3 TheateroftheDead:TheatricalityinAlexandrianTombs 37
TheTombatSidiGabr 38
TheTombfromtheAntoniadisGardens 41
TheTombsatMoustaphaPasha 44
MoustaphaPashaTomb2,45 (cid:2) MoustaphaPashaTomb4,49 (cid:2)
MoustaphaPashaTomb1,50 (cid:2) MoustaphaPashaTomb3,61
TheatricalityandtheTombsatMoustaphaPasha 65
4 TheTombsofPharosIsland:CulturalInterplayandEthnicIdentity 68
TheNecropolisatRaselTin 69
RaselTinTomb1,69 (cid:2) RaselTinTomb3,70 (cid:2) RaselTinTomb8,72
TheAnfushyNecropolis 73
AnfushyTombI,74 (cid:2) AnfushyTombII,77 (cid:2) AnfushyTombV,85
EthnicityonPharosIsland 90
TheGhirghisTomb,92 (cid:2) FortSalehTombI,93 (cid:2) TheEgyptian
BrokenLintel,94
EthnicityinAlexandrianTombsofthePtolemaicPeriod 94
vii
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viii CONTENTS
5 TheEmergenceoftheIndividual:theSa¯¯qiyaTombandtheNecropolis
atWardian 96
TombsExcavatedbyAdrianiatMinetel-Bassal(Wardian)in1950/51 97
SectionA,Tomb1,97 (cid:2) SectionA,Tomb3,97 (cid:2) SectionB,98 (cid:2)
SectionC,99
Riad’s1960ExcavationsatWardian 99
TombI,99 (cid:2) TombsIIandIV,101 (cid:2) TombIII:theSa¯qiyaTomb,101
TheSa¯qiyaTomb,Hellenism,andEgypt 118
6 TheUsesofEgyptinRomanAlexandria 119
EgyptianizingMortuaryScenesinRoman-PeriodTombs 120
HabachiTombA,120 (cid:2) RamlehTomb,122 (cid:2) Komel-Shoqafa:
TheEgyptianizingNebengrab(“HallofCaracalla”),RoomE,Tombh,122
Aspectsofthe“DoubleStyle”inRoman-PeriodAlexandrianTombs 123
TheSieglinTomb,124 (cid:2) TheGreatCatacombatKomel-Shoqafa,
124 (cid:2) HallofCaracalla(Nebengrab)PersephoneTombs,145 (cid:2) The
TigraneTomb,146 (cid:2) TheStagniTomb,159
CultureandGenderinAlexandrianFuneraryImagery 165
7 TheLegacyofAlexandrianTombs 168
DiffusionoftheAlexandrianTombTypeinEgypt 168
Plinthine,169 (cid:2) Marinael-Alamein,170 (cid:2) MarsaMatruh
(Paraetonium),171
DiffusionoftheAlexandrianTombTypeOutsideEgypt 172
Libya,173 (cid:2) Cyprus,175 (cid:2) SyriaandCoeleSyria,175
DiffusionoftheAlexandrianTombTypeintheChristianWorld 181
ChristianTombsinAlexandria,181 (cid:2) ChristianTombsOutside
Egypt,186
TheContributionsofAlexandrianTombs 186
AppendixA: AlexandrianTombsMentionedintheText 191
AppendixB: PartiallyFlutedColumns 201
ListofWorksCited,Abbreviations,andShortForms 205
Endnotes 223
Index 261
Colorplatesfollowpage112.
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LIST OF COLOR PLATES
Allphotographsthatarenototherwiseattributedinthecaptionsarethoseoftheauthor.
PlateI: AnfushyI,Room1
PlateII: AnfushyII,Room2
PlateIII: AnfushyV,Room4
PlateIV: AnfushyV,Room5
PlateV: TheSa¯qiyaTomb:thewaterfowlinthepondinthesa¯qiyapainting
PlateVI: TheSa¯qiyaTomb:theherm
PlateVII: TheSa¯qiyaTomb:theextantslabfromtheklinechamberwitha
malefigurerecliningunderanarbor
PlateVIII: Komel-Shoqafa:theMainTomb
PlateIX: TheTigraneTomb:thegorgoneionfromthecenterofthedome
PlateX: TheTigraneTomb:thecentralfigurefromtheleftniche
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LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Allphotographsthatarenototherwiseattributedinthecaptionsarethoseoftheauthor.
1. Alexandria 2
2. TombsnewlydiscoveredatGabbari 3
3. TheAlabasterTomb 8
4. Marinael-AlameinTomb7 15
5. Alexandria19440,afalse-doorloculusslabexcavatedatHadrain1912 17
6. Chatbynecropolis:plan 23
7. AchambertombfromHadra 25
8. AcirculartombfromtheEzbetel-MakhloufsectionofHadra 26
9. HypogeumA:plan 27
10. HypogeumAuponexcavation 27
11. HypogeumAasitappearstoday 28
12. HypogeumA:reconstructionofthesouthwalloftheanteroom 29
13. HypogeumA:burialroomg 30
14. HypogeumA:thefacadeoftheentrancetotheklinechamberg(cid:3) 30
15. HypogeumA:thetwoklinaiinroomg(cid:3) 31
16. HypogeumA:BurialChambereuponexcavation 31
17. Hadrahydria 32
18. TombfromFortSaleh(Gabbari)fromRaid’sexcavationsof1965–1966 35
19. Alexandria24040,excavatedin1935atHadra:loculusslabwithgate 35
20. ThetombatSidiGabr:section 38
21. ThetombsatSidiGabratthebeginningofthetwentiethcentury 39
22. ThetombatSidiGabr:plan 39
23. SidiGabr:thefacadeoftheklineroom 40
24. SidiGabr:reconstructionoftheklinechamber 40
25. ThetombfromtheAntoniadisGardens 42
26. ThetombfromtheAntoniadisGardens:plan 42
27. ThetombfromtheAntoniadisGardens:vestibuleandklineniche 43
28. ThetombsatMoustaphaPashaexcavatedbyAdriani 45
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29. ThetombexcavatedatMoustaphaPashain1984 46
30. MoustaphaPashaTomb2:plan 46
31. MoustaphaPashaTomb2:viewtowardtheburialchambers 47
32. MoustaphaPashaTomb2:detailoftheklineinRoom5aspreserved 48
33. MoustaphaTomb2:reconstructionoftheklinefromRoom5 48
34. MoustaphaPashaTomb4:plan 50
35. MoustaphaPashaTomb1:plan 50
36. MoustaphaPasha1:viewdownintothecourt 52
37. AnglepierinthecourtofoneofthetombsexcavatedatMoustapha
Pashain1984 53
38. MoustaphaPasha1:theeastsideofthecourt 54
39. MoustaphaPasha1:walltreatmentinRoom6 55
40. MoustaphaPasha1:thesouthfacadeofthecourt 56
41. MoustaphaPasha1:theright-handdoorwayofthesouthfacadeofthecourt 57
42. MoustaphaPasha1:paintingoverthecentraldoorwayofthesouth
facadeofthecourt 57
43. MoustaphaPasha1:viewtothenorthofthecourt 59
44. MoustaphaPasha1:thewellroom(Room2) 60
45. MoustaphaPasha1:thesystemofbasinsinRoom3 61
46. MoustaphaPashaTomb3 62
47. MoustaphaPasha3:reconstructionofthecourt,thestage,thealtar,andthe
klineroombeyond 63
48. MoustaphaPasha3:viewtothenorthaspreserved 64
49. MoustaphaPasha3:reconstructionofthescenaefrons 64
50. MoustaphaPasha3:detailoftheklineaspreserved 65
51. MoustaphaPasha3:reconstructionofthekline 66
52. RaselTinTombs1–3 69
53. RaselTinTomb1:arcosolium 70
54. RaselTinTomb3:Heraklesandthehoopoeinsitu 71
55. RaselTinTomb8:klineroom 72
56. TheAnfushyTombs 74
57. AnfushyTombI 74
58. AnfushyTombI:lightfunneloverthedoorinthecourt 75
59. AnfushyI.2:thejackal 76
60. AnfushyTombII:plan 77
61. AnfushyII:paintingontheupperlandingofthestaircase 78
62. AnfushyII:reconstructionofthenicheinthecourt 80
63. AnfushyII:southsideofcourt 80
64. AnfushyI.1:theredecoration 81
65. AnfushyII.1:schematicdrawingoftheredecorationoftheroom 81
66. AnfushyII.1theEgyptianizingphaseaspreserved 82
67. AnfushyII:theEgyptianizingdoorframebetweenRooms1and2 83
68. AnfushyII.2:theEgyptiannaiskos 83
69. AnfushyII.2:thepaintedstructuralelementsoftheceiling 84
70. AnfushyV:planandsection 86
71. AnfushyV.1:viewtowardRoom2 87
72. AnfushyV.2:detailsofthetreeandpierdecorationofRoom2 87
73. AnfushyV.4:loculus-closingslabintheformofanEgyptiannaos 88
74. AnfushyV.4:reconstructionoftheclosingslabinRoom4 89
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LISTOFILLUSTRATIONS xiii
75. AnfushyV.5:thelargeloculus 90
76. TheGhirghisTomb:wallbehindthekline 92
77. TheFortSalehTomb 93
78. Minetel-Bassal,SectionA:plan 97
79. Minetel-Bassal,SectionA,Tomb3:doorwaybetweenthecourtandRoom4 98
80. Minetel-Bassal,SectionB:loculusslabwithstandingmale 98
81. WardianTombI:plan 100
82. WardianTombII:plan 101
83. WardianTombsIIIandIV:plan 101
84. WardianTombIII:theSa¯qiyaTomb:plan 102
85. TheSa¯qiyaTombslabintheGraeco-RomanMuseum 103
86. TheSa¯qiyaTomb:thesa¯qiyalandscape 104
87. TheSa¯qiyaTomb:thewaterwheel 104
88. TheSa¯qiyaTomb:theherm 105
89. TheSa¯qiyaTomb:theherdsman 105
90. TheSa¯qiyaTomb:thezone-stylewall 106
91. TheSa¯qiyaTomb:thepaintedsarcophaguswiththeba-bird 106
92. TheSa¯qiyaTomb:theright-handarcosoliumintheklinechamber 107
93. TheSa¯qiyaTomb:thescenefromthebackwalloftheklinechamber 107
94. ThesacrificeofIsaacfromthedomeoftheTombofPeaceatBagawat
inKhargaOasis 111
95. Alexandria19439:theloculusslabofHelixoexcavatedatHadrain1912 112
96. LoculusslabfromacemeteryeastofChatby,depictingasceneofthe
underworld 112
97. Gearingofasa¯qiya 114
98. Asa¯qiyaasseenfromabove 114
99. HabachiTombA:drawingofthebackwallofthesarcophagusniche 121
100. HabachiTombA:drawingofthefrontofthesarcophagus 121
101. Komel-Shoqafa:Nebengrab,Tombh 123
102. Komel-Shoqafa:SieglinTomb 124
103. Komel-Shoqafa:sectionoftheoriginalpartoftheGreatCatacomb 125
104. Komel-Shoqafa:planoftheoriginalpartoftheGreatCatacomb 126
105. ReconstructionofthefunerarychapelofTomb6atMarinael-Alamein 127
106. Komel-ShoqafaMainTomb:reconstructiondrawingofthetriclinium 128
107. Komel-ShoqafaMainTomb:theanteroom 130
108. Komel-ShoqafaMainTomb:thestatueofthemale 131
109. Komel-ShoqafaMainTomb:thestatueofthefemale 132
110. Komel-ShoqafaMainTomb:detailoftheheadofthemale 133
111. Komel-ShoqafaMainTomb:detailofthewoman’shead 134
112. TheGrandCatacombatWardian(Mex) 135
113. Komel-ShoqafaMainTomb:thesarcophagusofthecentralniche 135
114. Komel-ShoqafaMainTomb:therightniche 136
115. Komel-ShoqafaMainTomb:backwallofcentralniche 137
116. Komel-ShoqafaMainTomb:leftwallofcentralniche 138
117. Komel-ShoqafaMainTomb:therightwallofcentralniche 139
118. Komel-ShoqafaMainTomb:thebackwallofleftniche 139
119. Komel-ShoqafaMainTomb:theleftwallofleftniche 140
120. Komel-ShoqafaMainTomb:therightwallofleftniche 140
121. Komel-ShoqafaMainTomb:theleftwallofrightniche 141
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122. Komel-ShoqafaMainTomb:therightwallofrightniche 142
123. Komel-ShoqafaMainTomb:AnubisasaRomanlegionary 144
124. TheStagniTomb:Anubis 144
125. Komel-ShoqafaMainTomb:theanguipedAnubis 145
126. Komel-Shoqafa:HallofCaracalla(Nebengrab),PersephoneTomb2 146
127. TheTigraneTomb:plan 147
128. TheTigraneTomb:view 148
129. TheTigraneTomb:thedome 149
130. TheTigraneTomb:theleftentrywalltotheburialchamber 150
131. TheTigraneTomb:detailoftherightentrywall 150
132. TheTigraneTomb:thebackwallofcentralniche 151
133. TheTigraneTomb:thebackwallofleftniche 153
134. Alexandria3215:aloculus-closingslabfromGabbari 154
135. TheTigraneTomb:thebackwallofrightniche 155
136. TheStagniTomb 160
137. TheStagniTomb:detailofthefrieze 161
138. TheStagniTomb:theleftpier 162
139. TheStagniTomb:therightpier 162
140. TheStagniTomb:theHorusfalcons 162
141. StagniTomb:nicheonthebackwall 164
142. StagniTomb:Isis-Aphrodite 165
143. PlinthineTomb1 169
144. Plinthinepaintedloculusslab 170
145. Plinthinecarvedloculusslab 170
146. Marinael-Alamein:Tomb6:plan 171
147. Marinael-Alamein:Tomb7 172
148. MarsaMatruh:Tomb1 173
149. Alexandria24863:MarsaMatruhcarvedloculusslab 173
150. Zawanitomb 174
151. MarisaTombI:plan 176
152. MarisaTombII:plan 176
153. MarisaTombI:theklineroom 177
154. MarisaTombI:detailofthefriezeonthesouthwall 178
155. MarisaTombI:detailofthefriezeonthesouthwall 178
156. Tyrehypogeum:detailofthepaintedfrieze 180
157. Hadra:thetriangularlyplannedChristiantomb 182
158. Komel-Shoqafa:theWescherTomb 184
159. Komel-Shoqafa:theWescherTomb–theexedrapainting 185
160. VolosMuseum55:thesteleofChoirile 189
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INTRODUCTION
Alexandriaisthecrownofallcities...
–AmmianusMarcellinusXXII.16.7
DespiteAmmianusMarcellinus’boast,ancientAlexandria inhabited one of the most influential cities of the ancient
exactedlittleinterestin1985whenIbeganmystudyofthe world.Alexandria’smonumentaltombsarethesingleclass
city’smonumentaltombs.Bythelate1990s,however,the ofmonumentsthatcanbestprovideasocialhistoryofthe
venerable city had achieved a renaissance. A symposium ancientcity.
at the J. Paul Getty Center in 19931 refocused scholarly Foundedin331byAlexandertheGreatonthenarrow
attentiononthecity,whichconcurrentlywasblossoming stripoflimestonethatborderstheMediterraneanjustwest
with renewed excavations and flowering in the popular oftheCanopicbranchoftheNile,Alexandriabecameone
press.TheNationalGeographicspotlightedAlexandriaas of the most important cultural and economic centers of
the paradigmatic city at the turn to the first millennium theHellenisticworld.Atthebeginningofthesecondcen-
ce,2andnewspaperandmagazineaccountsofrecentfinds, tury ce, Dio Chrystostom (Discourse 32) could say that
televisiondocumentariesandtheirassociatedvideos,and AlexandriawassecondonlytoRomeofallcitiesunderthe
coffee-table volumes in at least three languages3 directed sun;untiltheArabconquest,Alexandriawasnumberedas
attentiontotheancientcityanditsmonumentaltombs.Re- oneofthegreatcitiesoftheChristianEast.
portsofdiscoveriesofcolossalEgyptianstatuesinthehar- None of the fabled monuments that distinguished an-
borofAlexandrianeartheIslandofthePharosfiredpublic cientAlexandriaremains.Theroyalpalacesthatlinedthe
imagination (see Figure 1 for Alexandrian topography),4 shore, the museum and library that conferred the city’s
as did continued media devotion to the undersea blocks culturalhegemony,andthelighthouse–oneoftheseven
designated the “Palace of Cleopatra.”5 If the sensational wondersoftheancientworld–arestilllost.8Survivingthe
“discovery” of the “Tomb of Cleopatra” in the Western destruction of the Roman Empire to become one of the
Desertdisappointedthosewhoreadbeyondinitialnewspa- greatcentersofChristianity,Alexandriafinallyfellbefore
peraccounts,6theFrenchsalvageexcavationofaboutfifty the victorious army of ‘Amr-ibn-el-‘As¯ı, who conquered
relativelymodestmonumentaltombsinthewesternregion Egyptin639/40andfoundedFustat(laterCairo)andwho
ofAlexandriacalledGabbari(Figure2)–documentedin delightedinprovidingobviouslyinflatedbutnevertheless
populararchaeologymagazines,apicturebook,anexhi- tellingfiguresforthecityhedestroyed:“Ihaveconquered
bition,andavideo7–permittedaninternationalaudience acitythatIcannotdescribe;butIhavefoundthere4,000
aglimpseofancientAlexandria’sordinarypeople. palaces[orquarters]with4,000publicbathsand40,000
ForofallAlexandria’sancientmonuments,monumen- tribute-payingJews,and400placesofamusementforthe
tal tombs are the best recorded and preserved and the kings.”9
ones,oncurrentevidence,thatbestaddressthecity’san- Alexandria’s monumental tombs embody the most ar-
cientpast.Theyaffordeloquentwitnesstothefameand ticulatetestimonytothisvanishedglory.Theyprovidema-
gloryofancientAlexandriaandthediversecommunitythat terial evidence for the innovative and iconoclastic spirit
1