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A highly illustrated study of the uniquely decorated tombs of Greco-Roman tombs in Alexandria with the aid of advanced computer technology
In the Greco-Roman catacombs of Alexandria, uniquely decorated tombs from the time when religious boundaries blurred and syncretistic beliefs flourished have long been known. But it was only in 1993 that researchers discovered faint traces of paintings on walls previously thought to be blank, or underneath other painted scenes: the hidden scenes could be partly made out and photographed using ultraviolet light. Then in 2012, new computer technology was used to reveal the lost images—and colors—even more clearly.
Here the team present, examine, and interpret what they found, teasing meaning and intent from the alternating scenes of Greek and Egyptian mythology, as employed by the citizens of a multicultural Alexandria at the beginning of the second century CE, in pursuit of a happy afterlife.
Anne-Marie Guimier-Sorbets (Author) is professor emerita of archaeology and Greek history of art at the University of Paris-Nanterre and a specialist in Greek architecture and architectural décor. In collaboration with the Centre d’Etudes Alexandrines over a period of some twenty-five years, she has authored numerous studies on Alexandrian archaeological material of domestic and funerary contexts. Since 2015, Guimier-Sorbets has served as president of the International Association for the Study of Ancient Mosaics.
André Pelle (Author) is a photographer, formerly of the Centre d'Études Alexandrines in Alexandria.
Mervat Seif el-Din (Author) is honorary director of the Greco-Roman Museum in Alexandria.
Jean-Yves Empereur (Introduction by) is a former secretary-general of the French School at Athens and in that capacity served as field director of excavations, particularly on underwater sites, in Turkey, Greece, and Cyprus. He is director of research at the National Center for Scientific Research and formerly director of the Centre d'Études Alexandrines in Alexandria.
Colin Clement (Translated by) is a writer and translator who lives in Alexandria.