Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from September, 2025

Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa

Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa The Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa are located in Alexandria, Egypt. Half a kilometer to the northeast is the Serapeum of Alexandria, which is another archaeological site in the area. The Serapeum of Alexandria is considered to have been built by the Greeks in the 3rd century BC. Coordinates 31.178942, 29.893170 Description The site is thought to date to the Hellenistic period, and Roman, Greek, and Egyptian cultural attributes can be found throughout. The site is considered to have three levels dug into the rock, being up to 35 meters deep. The Catacombs consist of a triclinium, dining room, rotunda, Hall of Caracalla, and sarcophagi. The entrance is from the southeast side near the staircase at a 40° angle. The Catacombs' size is 25 metres by 50 metres. It is thought the site was an earlier burial ground where visitors brought clay pots of food for themselves, leaving the pots as they departed. Hence, this is where the name derived from. Analysis The tomb...

Temple of Zeus (Cyrene)

Temple of Zeus The Temple of Zeus is located in Cyrene , near Shahhat, Libya . The archaeological site of Cyrene is quite large and encompasses the Capitolium Temple and Hospitum , along with other buildings. There are other Temples of Zeus, but this refers to the temple in Cyrene. There is also the Temple of Olympian Zeus 527 BC in Athens , run by Athens and its allies. Two Temples of Zeus are both in Arcadia, run by Sparta and the Peloponnesian League. Coordinates  32.821773,21.862399 Description  In the archaeological site of Cyrene, and measuring from the Temple of Zeus, the Hippodrome is immediately to the east. The Hospitum is located to the northwest, the Capitolium Temple is located towards the southwest, and the Necropolis of Cyrene is located towards the northwest. The Brokolos Square surrounding the known Bagaybarh Porticoes is located towards the southwest; this is a large building with a main road running alongside and passing two amphitheaters and two temple...

Dwarfie Stane

Dwarfie Stane Dwarfie Stane is a carved tomb on the island of Orkney . It is considered Neolithic , from about 5000 years ago, and is located at the end of a 500-metre path. The site is currently managed by Historic Scotland . Coordinates  58.884460,-3.314228 Description Dwarfie Stane was most likely carved in situ. It is a weather-worn slab of rock which resembles signs of coastal erosion . It may have slid down from the surrounding mountainsides during an earthquake or ice age , as similar rocks appear there. The rock was carved slightly off-center, and local descriptions demonstrate this, with labels of items 1-7. 1,Blocking stone 2,Entrance passage 3,Post-medieval hole in the roof paired in 1972 4,Pillow-shaped ledge 5, Hugh Miller's graffiti   6, Victorian fire damage 7, William Mounsey's graffiti   Folklore  The Dwarfie Stane is haunted by stories of dwarfs and giants , tales that were brought to Hoy by medieval Norse settlers . One such legend tells of ...