This section of the website is dedicated to the project UndergroundMed – The Rediscovery of Catacombs between the 16th and 20th Century in the Mediterranean Basin, coordinated by the University of Malta and funded under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions-MSCA (2024-2026).
This project traces the history of the rediscovery of ancient catacombs by a vast number of scholars, explorers and others between the 16th and 20th centuries across the Mediterranean from a broad European perspective, through studies conducted on travel influx, exploration, archive and museum collections. The research focusses on various countries, using a multi-disciplinary approach combining archaeological surveys, museum studies and archival investigations to highlight the impact of these rediscoveries in building a European common culture and its scientific excellence. The project will open the door to debate in regard to the historical definition of a shared European identity in a borderless Europe. Moreover, it will define the roles that European scholars had on the creation of an international and multicultural research-network while travelling across the shores of the Mediterranean, in search for catacombs.
Cordis EU website of the project
Catacombs rediscovery 