Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 29.djvu/321

EXPLOKATIOKS IX ROME. ZCJ anco ; they have opened a passage through from the entrance on the eastern side of their church, passing under the church, and under tlic great staircase by which wo descend into it ; that church having been originally the burial chapel at the entrance of the catacombs, -svas ahvays below the level of the ground. This passage or corridor then passes under a part of their garden, ami there is an exit from it in the mausoleum and Baptistery of S. Constantia. In the course of these excavations they have found the lov/cr chambers of no less than five pagan tombs, ^Yitll passages from them into the catacombs. According to the theory of the Roman Catholic priests, n/l these passages were made in the sixteenth century by persons in search of treasure, but it seems rather doubtful whether the}' were not made by the families to whom the tombs belonged, after the lower chambers were full, to make more room for bodies. It is well known that the ground set apart for a tomb and a famil}' burial-place was sold in pcrj)ctuity to that family, and the right of burial extended to any depth. It seems [)robable that many parts of the great catacombs were originally made to give more room for burial to the families to whom the tombs above belonged.