Plan des catacombes de Syracuse ; intérieur d'une des chambres sépulcrales des catacombes

Syracuse, the main city of classical Sicily, was settled by the Corinthians in the 8th century BCE. By the 2nd century CE, Syracuse was under Roman control, and it was during this time that the first burials took place in the area now known as the Catacombs of San Giovanni. Displayed here in this late 18th-century print, the catacomb complex is believed to have been built upon existing aqueducts and cisterns used by ancient Syracuse residents. The map illustrates the pathways in the underground complex, along with large open spaces called rotundas and their occuli, or skylights, while the scene below depicts an expedition in the sepulcher.
Courtesy of Boston Public Library