Cemetery of El-Bagawat

Located approximately 3 kilometers from the center of el-Kharga and 1 kilometer north of the Temple of Hibis, the Cemetery of El-Bagawat is a significant historical site in Kharga Oasis. This early Christian cemetery, sprawling up the lower southern foothills of Gebel El-Teir, is renowned as possibly the oldest major Christian cemetery globally and has become a primary tourist attraction in Kharga Oasis.

The cemetery encompasses a vast expanse of domed mudbrick mausoleums and underground galleries that trace their origins back to the 4th century AD. It was constructed over the site of an earlier Egyptian necropolis consisting of pit-graves.

As a burial ground, Bagawat appears to have been continually used until the 11th century, even though the mudbrick structures primarily date back to the 7th century. The architectural style of the 263 tomb-chapels within Bagawat varies, ranging from simple one-room structures to family mausoleums adorned with ornate facades featuring faux columns, arches, and domed roofs.

These chapels were organized in ‘streets’ and interconnected narrow alleyways, creating one of the earliest examples of a ‘city of the dead.’ Each superstructure was constructed over a deep pit beneath the floor level, designed to house coffins and funerary items. Interestingly, some of the equipment found in these tombs had been repurposed from earlier Egyptian burials, with painted scenes of Horus and Thoth still visible.

It’s worth noting that the early Christians of Kharga continued the ‘pagan’ custom of embalming their deceased long after it had ceased in other regions. Unfortunately, most of the tombs have been looted over time, and many mummies were destroyed in the process.

While many of the chapels were simple and undecorated, consisting of a single chamber built over the tomb shaft, others were much more elaborate and featured plastered walls adorned with painted biblical scenes, often in a unique blend of styles. Some elements even harkened back to earlier Egyptian architectural motifs.

Two of the most exceptional and well-preserved decorated chapels within Bagawat are known as the ‘Chapel of the Exodus’ and the ‘Chapel of Peace.’ Inside the Chapel of the Exodus, one of the earliest structures in the cemetery, the dome’s interior is adorned with two bands depicting scenes from the Old Testament. These scenes include Adam and Eve, Moses leading the Israelites through the Sinai desert during the Exodus, Pharaoh (possibly Rameses II) and his armies, Noah’s ark, Daniel in the lion’s den, Jonah and the whale, and several other biblical episodes.

Similarly, the Chapel of Peace features similar themes on its dome, including depictions of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary and other scenes, each identified in Greek. The interior walls of this chapel also boast numerous Byzantine frescoes, featuring grapevines, peacocks, allegorical figures, and inscriptions.

The primary purpose of these Christian tomb-chapels, akin to their ancient Egyptian counterparts, was to honor and remember the deceased. Visitors to the cemetery can also observe numerous Arabic graffiti dating from the 9th century to the present day in some of the chapels, including inscriptions by Turkish soldiers who were likely stationed at Bagawat in the late 18th century.

At the center of the cemetery, a mudbrick church once depicted Christian saints on its walls, and remnants of niches for icons and lamps can still be discerned today.

The Cemetery of El-Bagawat stands as a testament to the rich historical and cultural heritage of Kharga Oasis, offering a unique glimpse into the convergence of ancient Egyptian and early Christian traditions.