A s arcophagus is a receptacle, normally manufactured from stone, that’s made to carry a coffin or corpse. Not like coffins, that are buried, sarcophagi are normally displayed above the bottom and for that reason they’re typically elaborately embellished, carved, or inscribed, and normally shaped an necessary a part of elaborate burial practices.

The earliest sarcophagi have been  used by the Egyptian pharaohs  from round 2600 BC, however they grew to become common with the  Etruscans, Greeks and Romans, though not solely. Right here we showcase among the extra spectacular sarcophagi of the traditional world.

The Sarcophagus of Wennefer, 380–332 BC, is an impressive instance of an uncommon kind of huge trapezoidal sarcophagi. The ornament, carved expertly into the arduous stone, options a picture of Wennefer’s ba, within the type of a human-headed fowl, on the lid. The texts are spells from the Ebook of the Useless, meant to ensure the profitable transformation of Wennefer into an efficient spirit ( MetMuseum / Public Area)

Limestone sarcophagus for a cat mummy, 305 BC – 1st century AD, Egypt. ( Brooklyn Museum  / CC)

Islamic sarcophagus from the Seljuk Interval, Turkey. (Florida Middle for Educational Expertise /  ClipPix ETC )

The golden sarcophagus of Tutankhamun ( David Biagi  / Adobe Inventory)

Quartzite Sarcophagus of Tutankhamun, contained three coffins nested inside one another. The decrease physique of the sarcophagus is manufactured from brown quartzite and the lid is manufactured from pink granite tinted to the colour of the field. On the sarcophagus are the figures of 4 goddesses, Isis, Nephthys, Neith, and Selket, carved in excessive reduction on the corners, their wings outspread to guard the physique inside the sarcophagus. ( Traumrune / CC by SA 3.0)

The Alexander Sarcophagus is a remarkably well-preserved, late 4th century BC Hellenistic stone sarcophagus from the necropolis close to Sidon, Lebanon. It’s adorned with bas-relief carvings of Alexander the Nice and scrolling historic and mythological narratives. ( Antoloji / CC by SA 4.0)

Sarcophagus of the Spouses from Caere, 530 – 510 BC. The Sarcophagus of the Spouses is taken into account one of many nice masterpieces of Etruscan artwork. (Sailko /  CC by SA 4.0 )

The Hagia Triada Sarcophagus is a late Minoan limestone sarcophagus, dated to about 1400 BC, excavated from a chamber tomb at Hagia Triada, Crete in 1903 ( Jebulon / CC0)

The Amathus Sarcophagus, fifth century BC. This limestone sarcophagus in all probability belonged to one of many kings of Amathus. It’s distinctive amongst historic Cypriot sculptures in its monumentality and within the preservation of its polychromy. ( MetMuseum / Public Area)

The Tabnit sarcophagus is the  sarcophagus of the Phoenician King of Sidon Tabnit I  (dominated c. 549–539 BC), the daddy of King Eshmunazar II. The sarcophagus is embellished with two separate and unrelated inscriptions – one in Egyptian hieroglyphics and one in Phoenician script. The latter incorporates a curse for individuals who open the tomb, promising impotency and lack of an afterlife. (oncenawhile /  CC by SA 3.0 )

The Portonaccio sarcophagus is a 2nd-century historic Roman sarcophagus discovered within the Portonaccio part of Rome, Italy. The sarcophagus was doubtless used to bury a Roman basic killed within the 172–175 AD German-Sarmatic marketing campaign of Marcus Aurelius throughout the Marcomannic Wars. ( jordi2r / Adobe Inventory)

The Sarcophagus of Jahangir within the Seventeenth-century mausoleum constructed for the Mughal Emperor Jahangir. The mausoleum dates from 1637, and is situated in Shahdara Bagh close to metropolis of Lahore, Pakistan. It incorporates the 99 Names of Allah, a typical theme in Islamic mysticism. ( Guilhem Vellut  / CC by SA 2.0)

Marble Sarcophagus Tomb of Grand Prince of Kyiv Yaroslav the Smart, the Grand Prince of Kiev from 1019 AD till his dying, in St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv, Ukraine ( vlamus / Adobe Inventory)

Double Tomb of Don Àlvar Rodrigo de Cabrera, Depend of Urgell and His Spouse Cecília of Foix, 1300 – 1500 AD ( MetMuseum / Public Area)

Historic Lycian sarcophagus in water, Simena village, Kekova, Turkey. ( muratart / Adobe Inventory)

Sarcophagus of Pedro I, 1360-67 AD, White limestone ( Web Gallery of Art )

Historic Greek sarcophagus embellished with scenes from Iliad ( Lefteris Papaulakis  / Adobe Inventory)#

Mosaic of dragons on Chinese language sarcophagus. ( Deniz / Adobe Inventory)

Tomb of King John d. 1216, Worcester Cathedral, England. King John was the seventh king to rule Britain since conquest of 1066. The carving on John’s tomb is phenomenal because it is a superb depiction of the true man on the time of his dying slightly than a heroic interpretation. Courting again to 1232, it is usually the oldest royal effigy in England. ( Michael Garlick  / CC)

Anthropoid Sarcophagus of Harkhebit, 595–526 BC. ( MetMuseum / Public Area)

High picture: The golden sarcophagus of Tutankhamun ( David Biagi  / Adobe Inventory)

By Joanna Gillan