A Virtual Tour of Catacomb of Priscilla

A Virtual Tour of Catacomb of Priscilla
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A Virtual Tour of Catacomb of Priscilla
A clash in religious, cultural practices among religions and social realities of the society is often a significant problem in communities. Such was the dilemma in the 2nd century CE Rome. In this time, the empire was facing a shortage of land in the face of overpopulation (Martins, 2019). In order to accommodate the growing population, the city was built upwards, with most buildings five stories high. As a result, burials were not allowed within the walls of the city. Conservative Christians of the time were against the pagan idea of cremation. They found a solution in communal underground cemeteries to accommodate the social constraints of the day. Among these cemeteries are the Catacombs of Priscilla housing evidence of early Christian iconography.
A virtual tour of the Catacombs of Priscilla involves a series of images showing narrow passageways below the earth's surface. Along the walls of the passageways are arts of art linked to early Christianity. Another image shows the catacombs stacked on one another, suggesting the need to conserve space. The images suggest a low ceiling, a roughed earth, and floor, with either side of the narrow pathway, a series of horizontal niches long enough to accommodate a body. Another image shows larger spaces that were conserved for the rich, and they were spacious enough to accommodate a sarcophagus.
The images show endless passages, with tombs as far as the eyes can see. Visible along these walls are early Christian art. One image shows the depiction of Madonna and child dated in the 3rd century. Severa...