A Jewish Archaeology

The Christian Discovery of Jewish Catacombs in Rome

Series: 

This study examines how various catacomb networks in Rome were eliminated and subsequently restored to the historical record as specifically Jewish sites. By exploring the evolution, interpretation and presentation of these catacombs from ancient times to the present, it offers fresh insights into their historical significance and the impact they have had on later generations. Understanding how this situation relates to the broader context of archaeological activity in Rome also highlights important changes in the study of catacombs during the nineteenth century that led to the identification of additional Jewish catacombs and other material evidence of Jews in Ancient Rome.
Copyright Year:
2026
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ISBN:
978-90-04-73538-5
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22 Sep 2025
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ISBN:
978-90-04-53291-5
Publication:
02 Oct 2025
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Jessica Dello Russo, Ph.D. (2022), is a historian specializing in archaeology and material culture studies. She has extensively published on Jewish archaeology and is the co-editor of Le catacombe ebraiche di Venosa: Recenti interventi, studi e ricerche (2020).
Acknowledgements
List of Illustrations
Abbreviations

Introduction

Prologue: a Catacomb Discovery in Rome (1860)

1 Ugly Antiquities: Religion and Reason in the Catacombs of Rome
 1.1 Topography in Transition in the Suburbs of Rome
 1.2 Humanistic Study of Jewish Antiquities in Rome

2 Sacra Selecta: Relic Invention and the “Science of Piety”
 2.1 Unaccustomed Earth: Ruin to Relic in the Early Modern Age
 2.2 Laboratories of Worship: Catacomb Repossession during the Counter-Reform
 2.3 Ecclesia Subterranea: Dividing the Sacred Spoils
 2.4 Lighting the Way to Christ: Jewish Memorials in a Universal Design

3 The Discovery and Exploration of the Jewish Catacomb of Vigna Randanini
 3.1 Excavations in the Vigna Randanini in 1859
 3.2 Site Survey and Spoliation Prior to 1859
 3.3 Deliberations on the First Excavation Season in 1859
 3.4 External Structure M: Building Phases and Functions
 3.5 Transitional Regions G-H-L
 3.6 Arrested Development of Galleries H3 and G2
 3.7 Gallery Growth Southwest of M
 3.8 Chambers 1–6
 3.9 External Discoveries within the Necropolis (1859–1862)
 3.10 Additional Catacomb Cleaning (1861–1862)
 3.11 Results of the Excavations of March–May 1862
 3.12 Preliminary Results in Region D (May 18, 1862)
 3.13 Preliminary Results in Region A (May 18, 1862)
 3.14 Preliminary Results in Region B (May 18, 1862)
 3.15 Additional Clearing of Region B (1862–1863)
 3.16 Identification and Study of Staircase II and Chamber 12
 3.17 Access into the Catacomb from Region A
 3.18 The Master Builders: Giovanni Battista de Rossi and Raffaele Garrucci

4 Post-excavation Site Study
 4.1 The End of the Affair: Termination of Digging Activity and Consolidation of the Finds
 4.2 The Harvest Sown: Jewish Deliberations on the Catacombs
 4.3 The Sellout: Catacomb Commercialization and Its Destructive Results
 4.4 New Site Study (1882–1884)
 4.5 Interventions in the Catacomb (1895–1918)
 4.6 New Site Study during the Interwar Period (1918–1939)
 4.7 Tragic Repose: Catacomb Commercialization to 1946
 4.8 Post-World War Two Recovery Efforts

Conclusion: Why the Jewish Catacombs Matter
Bibliography
Index
This book, rich in narrative detail and supported by thorough citations, is perfect for scholars, students, and enthusiasts of Roman archaeology, Jewish history, and cultural heritage.
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Publisher:
Brill
Language:
English
Pages:
xviii, 434 pp.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004735385

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