Join Dr. Jessica Dello Russo for an engaging exploration of the Jewish catacombs of ancient Rome and the discoveries that are transforming our understanding of Jewish life and burial practices in antiquity. A specialist in Roman topography, funerary archaeology, and the history of archaeology, Dr. Dello Russo has developed and curated major scholarly initiatives, including the DAPICS image archive, the BiblioSelect research indices, the Luminaria blog, and the ongoing digitization of the archives of ICS founder Estelle Shohet Brettman.

Dr. Dello Russo’s archaeological and archival research has yielded significant discoveries, including pieces of the renowned “Sarcophagus of the Menorah” from the Jewish Catacombs of Vigna Randanini, the rediscovery of the long-inaccessible Jewish catacomb of Vigna Cimarra, and previously unpublished documentation from the earliest excavations of Rome’s Jewish catacombs. These findings have shed new light on the history and preservation of these extraordinary underground cemeteries. Drawing on her doctoral research, Dr. Dello Russo will discuss the history, archaeology, and enduring significance of Rome’s Jewish catacombs, offering fresh insights into one of the oldest Jewish communities in the Diaspora and the remarkable subterranean monuments that preserve its legacy.