CATACOMBS. Recent archaeological discoveries have thrown new light on the Roman catacombs, underground passages and chambers, which were used by the early Christians for concealment from their persecutors, for burial, and for worship. " The catacombs represent the most notable monuments of primitive Christianity which have come down to us. They are entirely of Christian construction, and did not originate, as was formerly sup posed, out of ancient stone quarries, but are hewn out of the tufa rock. The vastness of these labyrinths awakens astonishment when we consider the poverty of the early Christians " (Camden M. Cobern). The mta combe were dug along several of the principal streets leading out from Rome. " They are narrow passages with graves on the right and left, the number of which has been estimated at nearly two millions. They were evidently built on Jewish models, the Jews having made such underground cemeteries near Rome in pre-Christian time. Several of these Jewish catacombs remain, con taining pictures which represent the olive branch, the dove, the palm, the seven-branched candlestick, and a number of inscriptions, prominent among which may be seen the Hebrew word citar; " Peace." Up to A.D. 70 the early Christians were legally regarded as Jews by the Roman Government, and could doubtless be buried In Jewish catacombs or in graves of their own without fear. Burial places, even of criminals, were sacredly
respected by the Roman Empire, so that for several generations Christian cemeteries were not disturbed." The earliest of the catacombs, such as those of Domitilla. Priscilla, Commodilla, and the crypt of Lucina, date back to the first century; hut the majority of those dug up (more than 50) during something over 300 years belong to the fourth century. Even after churches and ceme teries were built above ground, the catacombs continued in use. By the eighth century, however, they had been deserted, and from the tenth to the sixteenth they were almost entirely forgotten. In the catacombs have been found many beautiful inscriptions and paintings. Through the munificence of the Holy See, " there has been dug up a treasure of early Christian epitaphs and paintings, valuable beyond all expectations, which has given much unlooked-for information concerning the faith of the early Christians, their concepts of life, hopes of eternity, family relations, etc." (Anton de Waal. Cath. Encyclopedia). See A. P. Stanley, Chr. Institutions, 1882; and the Cath. Diet.