NAPLES – Jewish catacombs: a conference to bring clarity

A detailed assessment of the current state of Jewish catacombs from Venosa, followed by those in Rome, Malta, Sicily, and Sardinia, is the primary goal of the international conference Jewish Catacombs in Italy : Research, Experiences, and Methodologies, organized by the L’Orientale University of Naples on October 29 and 30. This event, led by coordinator Giancarlo Lacerenza, is part of the 2022 National Interest Research Project (PRIN) Venusia Judaica.
Experts and scholars will present their research findings across three sessions. “There is much confusion on this topic,” said Lacerenza. “Very little is known about the layout of these catacombs, both horizontally and vertically. They have been known for decades but remain largely unpublished. Our work is to establish some clear points of reference on these spaces, even if only on the spatial organization and materials.”
Currently, no excavations are underway, but diagnostic activities aimed at identifying and mapping the sites are ongoing. In Sant’Antioco in southern Sardinia, for instance, “new sections of catacombs have been discovered, and for the first time, photographs of inscriptions and artifacts will be presented at the conference.”
Each site, Lacerenza notes, is independently managed, with no unified coordination in research on Jewish catacombs. The conference will thus provide a platform for dialogue among these varied research efforts. “The challenges are significant, and often it’s difficult even to access these sites,” he adds. “The project is scheduled to conclude in two years, after which a comprehensive analytical report of the findings will be published.”