Painted Inscriptions and Graffiti in the Jewish Catacombs of Venosa: An Annotated Inventory

Since the official discovery of the Jewish catacombs of Venosa, Italy, in 1853, about 80 epitaphs and graffiti written in Hebrew, Greek and Latin have been found. These epitaphs constitute a unique source of information on the lives, family relationships and social status of the Jews living in late ancient Venusia. Although almost all of these inscriptions have long been accessible in published form, many doubts nonetheless persist as to their exact locations in the catacombs, and whether or not they remain in situ today. This article presents the results of a general survey undertaken in the catacombs in recent years, showing what has been lost and what actually remains.