Catacombs

(noun)

Human-made subterranean passageways used as burial locations.

Related Terms

(noun)

Catacombs are human-made subterranean passageways for religious practice. Any chamber used as a burial place is a catacomb, although the word is most commonly associated with the Roman empire.

Related Terms

Examples of Catacombs in the following topics:

  • Painting

    • Surviving paintings that feature early Christian art are most often found in Roman catacombs.
    • Late classical style included a proportional portrayal of the human body and impressionistic presentation of space; this style is seen in early Christian frescos, such as those in the catacombs of Rome.
    • The earliest surviving Christian art comes from the late second to early fourth centuries on the walls of Christian tombs in the catacombs of Rome.
    • This fish and loaves fresco, iconography particular to Christians and representative of the Eucharist, is found in the Catacombs of San Callisto.

  • Early Christian Art

    • The Late Classical style is seen in early Christian frescos, such as those in the Catacombs of Rome, which include most examples of the earliest Christian art.
    • The earliest surviving Christian art comes from the late second to early fourth centuries on the walls of Christian tombs in the catacombs of Rome.
    • This fish-and-loaves fresco, iconography particular to Christians and representative of the Eucharist, is found in the Catacombs of San Callisto.
    • Catacombs of Marcellinus and Peter. c. 300-350.

  • Funerary Art

    • The catacombs of Rome-- the early Christian tombs-- contain most of the surviving Christian funerary art of the Early Christian period, mainly in the form of frescoes and sculpted sarcophagi.

  • Religion as a Theme

    • Wall painting from the early catacombs, Rome, 4th century.

  • Art and Literature in the Roman Republic

    • A large number of paintings also survived in the catacombs of Rome dating from the 3rd century CE to 400, prior to the Christian age, demonstrating a continuation of the domestic decorative tradition for use in humble burial chambers.Wall painting was not considered high art in either Greece or Rome.