Publisher's Synopsis
This study of the different types of funeral architecture in Roman Egypt sheds new light on the question of the contacts between Egypt and the other provinces in the Empire. Funeral architecture in Roman Egypt has been largely neglected by scientists despite abundant archaeological literature on the subject. Yet, besides travel narrations and tales of discoveries, which are not always easily exploitable, a large number of recent accurate archaeological publications contribute to renewing our knowledge of this type of funeral architecture. Thanks to extensive excavations made since the 1980s, our knowledge of necropoles used during the Roman Empire has been considerably enriched. This study includes a catalogue of 325 such funeral sites, 214 of which are well documented, and helps to clarify our understanding of the varied architectural forms to be found in that province: including pit graves with raised surface structures (pyramids, columns and chapels), hypogea with steps or sloping access, rock-cut tombs, sarcophagi placed in the open, sepulchres with surface loculi, and tombs shaped as houses or temples.
