We blame our Egyptologist. You know how it is. When you're visiting an ancient city, you're perfectly content to ride around and look at the sites, sample the pastries and icecream, and eat at the famous restaurants. But the history know-it-all who's traveling with us is full of plans, and he absolutely insists we see the catacombs when we're in Alexandria.
Dan is interested. And, Chuck, well, I'm not sure. We plan to go early in the morning so it shouldn't be crowded. Which means that Chuck should be able to wander around on his own and sniff, which is what he loves to do.
I have to be honest. Before coming to Alexandria, I only know of the Roman Catacombs, which I always wanted to visit. I know Christians buried their dead there, and I also used to believe they hid there when they were being persecuted by the Romans. Then I learned the truth. The common method of burial back then was cremation, which Christians didn't believe in. Because of the shortage of land, they buried their dead underground in the catacombs. BUT rather than hide there, they used to congregate in the catacombs for meals to commemorate the anniversary of a loved one's death. Interesting. That was in Rome.
The Catacombs of Kom-es-Shouqafa are considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages and date back to 2nd century AD. They were tunneled into bedrock for a single wealthy family and consist of tombs (of course) but also statues and many other archeological objects that the Egyptians used to decorate the space. Today the catacombs are considered an engineering feat of some magnitude. The motifs you can still see decorating the catacombs are pure Ancient Egyptian, when the people still believed in many gods and goddesses, which they pictured as human, sometimes with animal heads. (Today roughly 90% of Egyptians are Muslim; 10% Coptic Christians.)
The catacombs were used as a burial chamber from the 2nd to the 4th century and rediscovered in 1900 when a donkey accidentally fell into an access shaft.
When we arrive, there's a circular stone staircase you climb down to reach the catacombs. Dan goes first with Chuck. I follow. You pass statues. Even though this is a burial place, carved from rock, you can see it is meant to be a place of reverence for those who are placed here.
"Stay close by. No wandering around." I look around. And shiver. "You can get lost in here, Chucky."
"I'll keep an eye on him," Dan offers.
"We want to see you at all times," I repeat.
For a moment you forget why you're here. But then you reach the deepest part of the catacombs, where the bodies were laid to rest.
This is the saddest part, imagining what it must have been like to have to go underground to visit your loved ones. We stay a bit longer. Dan is true to his word and keeps Chucky in his sights as he's sniffing away.
We are just about to turn around and leave when we both hear the most blood curdling meow you can imagine.
"What was that?"
The question has just left my lips, when Chuck, who one minute before was lazing around near Dan, shoots by about 30 miles an hour, past us, headed for that staircase.
"What the . . . "
And then, before we can even process that event, a black and white cat flies past, chasing Chuck.
"Did you see that?"
Quickly we realize Catacomb Guard Cat has decided Chuck is one too many cats in this catacomb and is making her presence known. (I deduce it has to be a her.)
I don't say a word to Dan. We both telepathically know we must jump into action and rescue Chuck.
We run across the catacomb hallway, up the staircase and out into the amazingly fresh air. We spot Catacomb Cat immediately. Hissing and growling. Facing a mound of dirt that's been piled up on one side of the parking lot. With Chuck sitting on top.
"How did he manage to get to the top of that--"
Chuck has had the good sense to run clear across the parking lot and get as far away as possible from this spitfire, who is standing her ground.
We're out of breath but relieved. For the moment, both cats are at a standstill. Chuck, true to his non-violent nature, is patiently waiting for Catacomb Cat to go away.
"What should we do?"
I examine Catacomb Cat more closely. She is actually tinier than we originally thought. "Shoo her away," I suggest.
"Shoo?" Dan asks.
"Well, you don't want to hurt her. She is only doing her job."
Dan takes a few steps towards the cat. She steps back, her back arches, and then she runs back into the catacomb.
Phew!
I'm just about to call Dan my hero, when I see the tell tale sign of an orange and white tail behind him. "Chuck."
As we were discussing the situation, it seems that Chucky came down from the mound of dirt and took action.
Why did the Catacomb Cat run? Was it Dan or Chuck? We'll never know.
Dan is definitely the badass! Chuckie just wants you to think it was him 😂
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