The catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa are the best-known tomb complex in Alexandria. The name means Mound of Shards and reflects the site’s original appearance before the archaeological research and management as a popular tourist destination. In antiquity, relatives of the deceased came to the tombs to share food and wine to commemorate the dead. They were unwilling to bring the containers home when they finished the meal, so they smashed them and left them on site. Over many generations, the broken pieces of terracotta formed the mound of shards mentioned earlier. The vast multi room complex consists of three levels cut through solid rock in the 2nd century CE. Unfortunately, the lowest level was found flooded and has remained so ever since. A deep, circular staircase (99 shallow steps) leads to the underground necropolis. The bodies of the dead and the grieving relatives followed the same route.