This is the true notion of the Puticuli, holes dug perpendicularly in the Ground to throw Bodies indifferently and without any decency in; and according to the Argument this ought to be the conduct of the Ancient Romans, with Respect to their Slaves, as implying simplicity and the care to avoid a greater expence; but then what's all this to the Galleries and Chambers of the Catacombs, where decency and distinction of quality is nicely observ'd; and that, if they were look'd after, and kept in better repair, would be without dispute the noblest Burying-place this Day in the World? As often as they fall under my consideration, I cannot forbear thinking they were made for this end by the Ancient Romans, and made in consequence of these two Ancient opinions, that the shadows hate the light, and love to hover about the place where the Bodies are laid, they appear so easie and decent a resting-place for the one, without the least fear of being ever disturb'd, and at the same time there is provided a noble and a vast convenience full of variety for the others, to space themselves freely and with pleasure in.
I think 'twill not be denied, that laying up the Bodies in Caves was the original way of disposing of the dead; this was that of the Phænicians, and as they were the Men that with their Colonies peopled the Western parts of the World, 'tis more than probable they carried it along with them whither soever they went. Afterwards, as Men grew great and powerful, they erected noble and magnificent Monuments for themselves above ground; at length others of inferior degree imitated them, all leaving room enough and excluding the light: But then interring as we do now in the open Air, or in Temples, was never the manner till Christianity brought it in. Of the whole we have many Instances, and Il Signior Abbate Bencini, Bibliothecary of the Propaganda, a Gentleman of good Ancient Learning, assured me in the conversation I had with him on this Argument, that on the great Roads in most parts of Italy little Catacombs have been and are still found under ground, and that 'twas the Custom to build little Houses over them. This, and the testimony of the Labourers whom I consulted on the matter, made me abandon an opinion of which I was once fond, that the Catacombs are of the Nature of our Gravel-pits, as old as the City itself, and yet out of them was taken the Puzzolana, the famous Ingredient in the Roman Mortar. The same learned Gentleman added, relating to the marks of a Martyr, that they don't conclude much; that the so fam'd Cypher XP was in use among the Ancients long before Christianity begun: And when I ask'd him what the meaning of it might be among them? return'd, that 'twas compos'd of the two Greek Letters Χ Ρ, under which something mystical was comprehended, but that he met with no Author that gave account what the mystery was.
Thus, after a multitude of thoughts about the Catacombs, I'm forced to take up with this; so natural it is, arising from the sole Theory of the Place, and falls in so oppositely with the Religion and Practice of the Ancients, among whom the Dii Manes were the Tutelary Gods of the Country, and D. M. at the head of an Inscription, argues the Moles, the Sepulchre, the Monument, &c. was in the primary intention made for and dedicated to the Soul. Upon the same Maxims, in Foreign expeditions, when a Hero died or was kill'd, as the Body was liable to a quick corruption, and for that Reason unfit to be transported entire, they fell on the expedient of Burning, in order to bring home the Ashes, to oblige the Manes to follow, that so the Country might not be deprived of the Benefit of its tutelage. This I humbly conceive was the Original of Burning, which by Degrees became more and more universal, till at last the Pomp and Magnificence of it reconcil'd it to all that were able to go to the length of the expence.
As for the prejudice of the Silence of the Ancient Authors in this matter, 'tis easily removed, and to be regretted at the same time that the Authors of all Ages, too much neglect the customs of their own time. Writing for the satisfaction of their Cotemporaries, they think it impertinent to Trouble them with the Account of what they see Transacted every Day. By this means the Ancient Customs, with the Time, and Reasons of their disuse, are lost with Respect to us, and ours with the same Circumstances may come to be so with relation to Posterity. As the Authors are pleas'd to adopt them for their Children, one wou'd wonder greater care is not taken not to entail visible occasions of complaint on them; nay, one wou'd wonder more, to see these Gentlemen so little ambitious of a future reputation, when they may infallibly assure it themselves, without resigning the present, by transmitting the knowledge of things, the knowledge of which may in a small series of Years become otherwise irretrievable; they cannot but observe every Day what esteem is placed on those Authors, to whom we are forced to go, to find in them what cannot be found elsewhere, to compare with the others, in whom nothing is to be found, but what Men of Reason are able to find at home.
Upon the whole, the Catacombs I humbly conceive were the Burying-places of the Ancient Romans; at length the manner of Burning, which they received from the Græcians, coming by degrees to prevail universally, they fell under a total neglect. This is the State in which the Primitive Christians must be suppos'd to have found them; 'tis not to be imagin'd they could have made any use of them, at a time when 'twas the daily practice to lay up even the depositions of the Slaves in them; so that either the Christians made no use of them at all, or they never were the burying Place of the Slaves. Now as these are Suppositions that naturally destroy one another, one would count it more safe to follow the faint light of a glimmering tradition, than abandon ones self to the Conduct of an Ignis fatuus, that for ought a Man knows is actually misleading him, so I beg leave to call the Testimony of Festus Pompeius, that may rather be apply'd to any other thing than to the Galleries of the Catacombs, carry'd under ground, they say 20 Miles from the City in some places, and no Body knows how far in others, and to that vast number of Chambers that go off them. Thus therefore the Christians finding them in a state of neglect laid up the Bodies of their Dead in them; and perhaps when the Persecution was hot, conceal'd themselves and kept little separate Assemblies in their Chambers. At last the Empire turning Christians, they fell again in the old state of neglect, in which they continu'd till upon the reading of I have forgot what Author that makes mention of them, they came to be look'd into and search'd. What I have writ relates to the Catacombs of Rome, those of Naples are a quite other thing, of which per next. I am,
Sir,
Your most humble Servant,
Marseilles, Aug. 22.
1700.
J. Monro.