Crypta
(
κρύπτη). Any long, narrow vault, either dark or dimly
lighted. It is used in three specific senses:
1.
A tunnel for draining purposes.
2.
A dark vaulted passage in any building, as under the
cavea in the amphitheatre or behind the
scena of a theatre.
3.
A covered corridor above ground, dimly lighted in summer for the sake of coolness, and very
commonly attached to the sides of an open colonnade (
porticus). This was
probably the species of crypta known as
cryptoporticus. See
Porticus.