hypogeum
Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
- noun A subterranean chamber of an ancient building.
- noun An ancient subterranean burial chamber, such as a catacomb.
Examples
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Before the amazed eyes of the congregation, a cascade of white petals descends from the coffered ceiling, blanketing the hypogeum.
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To be the steward of an entire hypogeum, and particularly, as I was in my youth, to be steward of my Hypogeum Apotropaic in the time of Father Inire, requires the most unremitting effort; one has hardly a watch in which to sleep.
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In the Roman necropolis, along the Kairwan road, several interesting discoveries were made, among them a hypogeum containing several frescoes in fair preservation, containing curious figures and inscriptions, and also some inscriptions on marble or stucco.
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When the museum authorities first took over the hypogeum practically all the chambers were filled to within a short distance of their roofs with a mass of reddish soil, which proved to contain the remains of thousands of human skeletons.
Note
The word 'hypogeum' comes ultimately from a Greek word meaning 'underground'.
