Catacombs of Milos: A unique underground Early Christian cemetery

They are made up of spacious chambers connected with narrow passageways and a family burial chamber, all carved into the island’s soft volcanic rock. The total length of the galleries is approximately 200 metres, while their width ranges from 1 to 5 metres and their height from 1.6 to 2.5 metres. Acrosolia (arched tombs) and loculi (horizontal burial niches) were carved into the walls, while pit graves were cut into the floor. The walls also featured small niches for grave goods and oil lamps and, in some cases, for infant burials.

Out of all the wall paintings and inscriptions, only a few fragments have been preserved. The isolated above-ground rock-cut tomb, shaped like a sarcophagus in the centre of Chamber B is of particular interest, which also served as an altar. The paired arcosolia in Chamber A are another standout.

The most recent discovery is a new chamber, although recent excavations have also unearthed the southern sections of Chambers A and B, including two built tombs, a marble sarcophagus, pit graves and a family tomb. There wasn’t a large number of grave goods to be had, but they nevertheless provided valuable information about the funerary practices of the early Christian period.