Art of the Catacombs
(Above: Christ as our Good Shepherd. Click image for HiRes)
First & Second century Christian artwork is very intriguing. Some of the major stories of the Bible were painted even before the Bible had been canonized. It sure gives conspiracy theorists some pause…
Roman Catacombs
When the persecutions in Rome broke out, Christians often met in the Roman Catacombs. These “catacombs” were really labyrinth-mazes of tunnels that served as tombs. It is estimated that there are about 2 million graves with 600 miles of these underground passages. When some early persecutions broke out in the AD/CE 100s, these catacombs were safe (and horribly smelling) places for Christians to meet.
During these persecutions, Christians resorted to artwork in order to give them courage. While this artwork includes stories from the Old Testament:
The Creation of Adam and Eve
Noah and the Great Flood
Abraham and his Son, Isaac [Genesis 22]
Moses and the Flight from Egypt [Exodus Ch.14; 17:1-7]
Daniel in the Lions Den [Daniel 6]
The Young Men in the Fiery Furnace [Daniel 3]
The Story of the Prophet Jonah [Book of Jonah]
It also includes art from the New Testament:
The Birth of Jesus
The Magi
Jesus before Pilate
Mary & Baby Jesus
The Baptism of Christ
The Wedding at Cana Galilee
Palm Sunday
Lazarus Being Resurrected
The Samaritan Woman at the Well
A Healing of a Paralytic man
The Healing of the Blind man
The Last Supper
Peter’s Denial
Jesus’ Crucifixion & Resurrection
(The Icthus symbol [define], recognizing Jesus’ diefication, is all over the place)
Jewish Catacombs
Some of the Jewish “catacombs” have recently been excavated, which are also pretty interesting. Even though these tombs and family grave sites aren’t as massive as the Roman catacombs, these burial places are still very significant.
- Most of the recently excavated burial sites are clearly first-century (the Roman Catacombs are 2nd Century+)
- Many of these ossuaries have Christian “icons” such as the Cross
- Some of the boxes have inscriptions that dedicate them/their lives to Jesus
- Some other burial boxes have historical markers that they were non-Jewish Christians
apologetiks 