Preface

The present work, it is hoped, will supply a want long felt in the literature of the Catacombs. That literature, it is true, is very voluminous; but it is for the most part locked up in rare and costly folios in foreign languages, and inaccessible to the general reader. Recent discoveries have refuted some of the theories and corrected many of the statements of previous books in English on this subject; and the present volume is the only one in which the latest results of exploration are fully given, and interpreted from a Protestant point of view.

The writer has endeavored to illustrate the subject by frequent pagan sepulchral inscriptions, and by citations from the writings of the Fathers, which often throw much light on the condition of early Christian society. The value of the work is greatly enhanced, it is thought, by the addition of many hundreds of early Christian inscriptions carefully translated, a very large proportion of which have never before appeared in English. Those only who have given some attention to epigraphical studies can conceive the difficulty of this part of the work. The defacements of time, and frequently the original imperfection of the inscriptions and the ignorance of their writers, demand the utmost carefulness to avoid errors of interpretation. The writer has been fortunate in being assisted by the veteran scholarship of the Rev. Dr. McCaul, well known in both Europe and America as one of the highest living authorities in epigraphical science, under whose critical revision most of the translations have passed. Through the enterprise of the publishers this work is more copiously illustrated, from original and other sources, than any other work on the subject in the language; thus giving more correct and vivid impressions of the unfamiliar scenes and objects delineated than is possible by any mere verbal description. References are given, in the foot-notes, to the principal authorities quoted, but specific acknowledgment should here be made of the author’s indebtedness to the Cavaliere De Rossi’s Roma Sotterranea and Inscriptiones Christianæ, by far the most important works on this fascinating but difficult subject.

Believing that the testimony of the Catacombs exhibits, more strikingly than any other evidence, the immense contrast between primitive Christianity and modern Romanism, the author thinks no apology necessary for the somewhat polemical character of portions of this book which illustrate that fact. He trusts that it will be found a contribution of some value to the historical defense of the truth against the corruptions and innovations of Popish error.

CONTENTS.
Book First.
THE STRUCTURE AND HISTORY OF THE CATACOMBS.
Chapter	Page
I.	The Structure of the Catacombs	11
II.	The Origin and Early History of the Catacombs	49
III.	The Disuse and Abandonment of the Catacombs	120
IV.	The Rediscovery and Exploration of the Catacombs	150
V.	The Principal Catacombs	164
Book Second.
THE ART AND SYMBOLISM OF THE CATACOMBS.
I.	Early Christian Art	203
II.	The Symbolism of the Catacombs	225
III.	The Biblical Paintings of the Catacombs	282
IV.	Objects found in the Catacombs	362
Book Third.
THE INSCRIPTIONS OF THE CATACOMBS.
I.	General Character of the Inscriptions	395
II.	The Doctrinal Teachings of the Inscriptions	415
III.	Early Christian Life and Character as read in the Catacombs	453
IV.	Ministry, Rites, and Institutions of the Primitive Church as Indicated in the Catacombs	506

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
Fig.	Page
1.	Entrance to Catacomb of St. Priscilla	¹²
2.	Entrance to Catacomb of St. Prætextatus	¹⁶
3.	Part of Callixtan Catacomb	¹⁷
4.	Gallery with Tombs	¹⁸
5.	Interior of Corridor	²⁰
6.	Loculi—Open and Closed	²³
7.	Tomb of Valeria	²⁴
8.	Arcosolium with Perforated Slab	²⁵
9.	Plan of Double Chamber	²⁶
10.	Section of Gallery and Cubicula	²⁷
11.	Suite of Chambers	²⁸
12.	Vaulted Chamber with Columns	²⁹
13.	Cubiculum with Arcosolia	³⁰
14.	Section of Catacomb of Callixtus	³²
15.	Cubicula with Luminare	³⁵
16.	Gallery in St. Hermes	⁴²
17.	Part of Wall of Gallery in St. Hermes	⁴²
18.	Slab in Jewish Catacomb	⁵¹
19.	Epitaph of Martyrus	⁶⁶
20.	Reputed Martyr Symbol	⁷⁷
21.	Epitaph of Lannus, a Martyr	⁹⁸
22.	Secret Stairway in Catacomb of Callixtus	¹⁰¹
23.	Diogenes the Fossor	¹³³
24.	Fossor at Work	¹³⁴
25.	Tombs on Appian Way	¹⁶⁵
26.	Plan of Area in Callixtan Catacomb	¹⁷¹
27.	Plan of Crypt of St. Peter and St. Paul	¹⁸⁷
28.	Crypt of St. Peter and St. Paul	¹⁸⁸
29.	Section of Catacomb of Helena	¹⁹¹
30.	Entrance to Catacomb of St. Agnes	¹⁹⁵
31.	Mithraic Painting	²¹⁶
32.	Leaf Point	²²⁷
33.	Phonetic Symbol—Leo	²²⁹
34.	Phonetic Symbol—Porcella	²³⁰
35.	Phonetic Symbol—Nabira	²³⁰
36.	Wool-comber’s Implements	²³¹
37.	Carpenter’s Implements	²³¹
38.	Vine Dresser’s Tomb	²³²
39.	Symbolical Anchor	²³⁴
40.	Symbolical Ship	²³⁵
41.	Symbolical Palm and Crown	²³⁶
42.	Symbolical Doves	²³⁷
43.	Symbolical Dove	²³⁸
44.	Doves and Vase	²³⁸
45.	Locus Primi	²³⁸
46.	Symbolical Peacock	²⁴⁰
47.	The Good Shepherd	²⁴⁵
48.	Good Shepherd with Syrinx	²⁴⁶
49.	Symbolical Lamb	²⁴⁹
50.	Symbolical Fish	²⁵⁵
51.	Symbolical Fish	²⁵⁶
52.	Fish and Anchor	²⁵⁶
53.	Fish and Dove	²⁵⁶
54.	Eucharistic Symbol	²⁵⁶
55.	Constantinian Monogram	²⁶⁵
56.	Early Christian Seal	²⁶⁶
57.	Various Forms of Monogram	²⁶⁷
58.	Epitaph of Tasaris	²⁶⁷
59.	Opisthographæ	²⁶⁸
60.	Early Christian Seal	²⁷⁰
61.	Monogram and Cross	²⁷⁰
62.	The Temptation and Fall	²⁸⁴
63.	Adam and Eve Receiving their Sentence	²⁸⁵
64.	Noah in the Ark	²⁸⁶
65.	Noah in the Ark	²⁸⁷
66.	Noah in the Ark, from Sarcophagus	²⁸⁷
67.	Apamean Medal	²⁸⁸
68.	Sacrifice of Isaac	²⁸⁹
69.	Sacrifice of Isaac	²⁸⁹
70.	Moses on Horeb	²⁹⁰
71.	Moses Receiving the Law	²⁹⁰
72.	Moses and the Baskets of Manna	²⁹¹
73.	Moses Striking the Rock	²⁹¹
74.	Moses Striking the Rock	²⁹¹
75.	The Sufferings of Job	²⁹³
76.	Ascension of Elijah	²⁹⁵
77.	The Three Hebrew Children	²⁹⁶
78.	The Three Hebrew Children	²⁹⁷
79.	The Three Hebrew Children	²⁹⁸
80.	Daniel in the Lions’ Den	²⁹⁹
81.	The Story of Jonah	³⁰⁰
82.	Jonah, Moses, and Oranti	³⁰¹
83.	Jonah and the Great Fish	³⁰²
84.	Noah and Jonah	³⁰²
85.	Jonah’s Gourd	³⁰⁴
86.	Adoration of Magi	³⁰⁵
87.	Adoration of Magi	³⁰⁶
88.	Orante	³⁰⁹
89.	Supposed Madonna	³¹¹
90.	Earliest Madonna	³¹²
91.	Christ with the Doctors	³²⁴
92.	Christ and the Woman of Samaria	³²⁵
93.	Paralytic Carrying Bed	³²⁵
94.	Woman with Issue of Blood	³²⁶
95.	Miracle of Loaves and Fishes	³²⁷
96.	Opening the Eyes of the Blind	³²⁷
97.	Christ Blessing a Little Child	³²⁸
98.	Lazarus (rude)	³³⁰
99.	Lazarus (in fresco)	³³⁰
100.	Lazarus (in relief)	³³¹
101.	Christ’s Entry into Jerusalem	³³¹
102.	Peter’s Denial of Christ	³³²
103.	Pilate Washing his Hands	³³³
104.	Sculptured Sarcophagus	³³⁴
105.	Painted Chamber	³³⁹
106.	Oldest Extant Head of Christ (mosaic)	³⁴⁷
107.	God Symbolized by a Hand	³⁵⁶
108.	God as Pope	³⁵⁹
109.	Domestic Group in Gilt Glass	³⁶⁶
110.	Reputed Martyr Relic	³⁷¹
111.	Reputed Martyr Symbol	³⁷⁴
112.	Symbolical Lamp	³⁷⁷
113.	Symbolical Lamp	³⁷⁸
114.	Vases from the Catacombs	³⁸¹
115.	Amphora from the Catacombs	³⁸²
116.	Earthen and Metal Vessels	³⁸³
117.	Early Christian Ring	³⁸⁵
118.	Early Christian Seal	³⁸⁵
119.	Impressions of Seals	³⁸⁶
120.	Children’s Toys	³⁸⁷
121.	Statue of Good Shepherd	³⁹⁰
122.	Epitaph of Gemella	⁴⁰¹
123.	Epitaph of Ligurius Successus	⁴⁰²
124.	Epitaph of Domitius	⁴⁰²
125.	Epitaph Inverted	⁴⁰⁴
126.	Epitaph Reversed	⁴⁰⁴
127.	Epitaph of Cassta	⁴⁰⁵
128.	Triple Epitaph	⁴⁰⁵
129.	Belicia	⁵⁰⁰
130.	Chamber with Catechumens’ Seats	⁵³¹
131.	Baptismal Font	⁵³⁷
132.	Baptism of Our Lord	⁵³⁸
133.	Baptismal Scene	⁵³⁹
134.	Fresco of Early Christian Agape	⁵⁴⁶

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