Shaft and chamber tomb
Encyclopedia
A Shaft and chamber tomb is a type of chamber tomb
used by some ancient peoples for burial of the dead. They consist of a shaft dug into the outcrops of rock with a square or round chamber excavated at the bottom where the dead were placed.
Examples include those at Xemxija
in Malta
which are Neolithic
and Dayeh-va-dokhtar tombs in Fars province of Iran
. They were also employed by the Ancient Egypt
ians. The late pre-Classic and early Classic Era cultures of west Mexico (what are now the states of Colima
, Nayarit
, and Jalisco
) used these kind of tombs and much of what little is known about these cultures is known from art objects found in these tombs. As a result, these early West Mexico cultures are sometimes referred to as the "shaft-and-chamber culture".
Chamber tomb
A chamber tomb is a tomb for burial used in many different cultures. In the case of individual burials, the chamber is thought to signify a higher status for the interree than a simple grave. Built from rock or sometimes wood, the chambers could also serve as places for storage of the dead from one...
used by some ancient peoples for burial of the dead. They consist of a shaft dug into the outcrops of rock with a square or round chamber excavated at the bottom where the dead were placed.
Examples include those at Xemxija
Xemxija
Xemxija is a resort area on the west side of St. Paul's Bay, Malta.Xemxija is the gateway to the sandy beaches of Golden Bay to the west, and to Mellieha Bay to the north. Xemxija is a quiet resort, surrounded by Maltese countryside and some of the most fertile valleys in Malta. There is also a...
in Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
which are Neolithic
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
and Dayeh-va-dokhtar tombs in Fars province of Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
. They were also employed by the Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
ians. The late pre-Classic and early Classic Era cultures of west Mexico (what are now the states of Colima
Colima
Colima is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, make up the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It shares its name with its capital and main city, Colima....
, Nayarit
Nayarit
Nayarit officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Nayarit is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 20 municipalities and its capital city is Tepic.It is located in Western Mexico...
, and Jalisco
Jalisco
Jalisco officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in Western Mexico and divided in 125 municipalities and its capital city is Guadalajara.It is one of the more important states...
) used these kind of tombs and much of what little is known about these cultures is known from art objects found in these tombs. As a result, these early West Mexico cultures are sometimes referred to as the "shaft-and-chamber culture".
See also
- Shaft tombShaft tombA shaft tomb or shaft grave is a type of burial structure formed from a deep and narrow shaft sunk into natural rock. Burials were then placed at the bottom...
- Sorkh Deh chamber tombSorkh Deh chamber tombSorkh Deh chamber tomb is a Shaft and chamber tomb type grave located in Kermanshah Province in Iran. Sorkh Deh in Persian means Red Village. The grave probably dates back 2500 years...
- Essaqwand Rock TombsEssaqwand Rock TombsThe Essaqwand Rock Tombs are three rock-hewn tombs located 25 km southwest of Harsin in Kermanshah Province, Iran. On top of the middle tomb there is the bas-relief of a man with his profile toward the viewers. He is holding his hands in prayers in front of him. There is also a torch and a...