TOMB 85 (continuation)

The original entrance of the enclosure was placed in the southern, left wall.
When in about 150 AD the enclosure of tomb 86 was built, the old entrance of tomb 85
was closed and a new one appeared in the wall facing the Via Severiana.
The enclosure, first used as a meeting place, had benches alongside
the full lenght of the side walls. This is by the way one of the rare
examples of funeral banquet areas inside a tomb (see also tomb 54).
Later the enclosure was re-organized, first as a columbarium
and soon, on and beneath the floor, for inhumation.
Probably in the third century AD the walls of the enclosure were rebuilt
with tuff stones and bricks (opus vittatum). The second entrance was closed
too and again a new one was built in the same wall, but now somewhat higher.
Probably tomb 85 was reachable by a wooden staircase which is now missing.

(click to continue to tomb 85a)