The ancient necropolis of Al Bagawat (video) is a short distance from Dakhla Oasis. The winds were howling and blowing sand which made it difficult, if not impossible, to video (except inside the tombs). Al Bagawat is not only one of the oldest Christian cemeteries in the world, but also the oldest in this desert and contains hundreds of Coptic tombs dating between the Fourth and Seventh Centuries AD.
The Fifth Century bishop Nestorius was exiled to Bagawat for claiming that only one of Jesus natures had suffered on the cross; the earthly nature, not the divine. Early Christians, many supporters of this bishop, fled Roman persecution in the North to settle in this area and buried their dead in this cemetery; entrance fees: 30 Egyptian Pounds.
We made our way up the path towards the Chapel of Peace first. This well preserved family tomb, called “The Chapel of Peace” had beautiful if faded scenes from the Bible painted around the dome, dating from the late Fifth Century AD. There were depictions of Adam and Eve, Noah’s Ark, St. Paul and Abraham, and others. The actual burial chamber was under the floor.
There was what could be referred to as early graffiti on all the inside walls made by travelers on the old trade route, Dab el Arbalen. Camel caravans on their way to and from Libya, and later on the pilgrimage route to Mecca would shelter inside the tombs and leave messages on the walls in Greek, Latin and Arabic; think, “Ahmed, on the way to Mecca, left five days ago, see you there!”
The mud brick Basilica (or “Church”) was used as a court of justice by the village as well as a church. A council of elders used one room to hold prisoners that had holes in one wall; the prisoner could talk to his family through the holes while awaiting a decision as to his fate.
Tombs 23, 24 and 25 belonged to one family and #23 was the oldest tomb, Fifth Century AD. There were no paintings in #23 or #24, but #25 had paintings in the dome and along walls. There was graffiti. One said, “There was a man called Achmed who was here” while painted doves, ankhs and traces of color still remained.
The Chapel of Exodus is believed to be the oldest in the complex and had primitive paintings from the Old Testament, Christian scenes, and Copt crosses; ankhs suggested that it belonged to the first half of the Fourth Century AD. This chapel gave an excellent idea of what Christian tombs of that period would have looked like.
The Biblical scenes and characters were in better condition than those in the Church of Peace and had drawings all around the domed ceiling; Moses leading his people out of bondage with Egyptian soldiers racing behind to catch them, Noah’s Ark, Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Jonah and the whale, more ankhs and Copt crosses.
