2013
A
THE
sarchofagus is a container
generally carved in stone,
destined
to
contain
a
corpse. In the Former Egypt, the sarchofagi of
the royalty were containing at least a coffin,
habitually of wood, where one was guarding the
mummy of the deceased that then was submitted
to a process of embalming, forty days later
approximately.
The majority of
or adorned carefully. The
deposited
the sarchofagi were done
sarchofagus was related
pyramids, hipogeos, and
to remain in mausoleums,
to
other types of graves or
temples
embalming
or
crypts
the
rituals
of
and
visitables, and therefore
mummification, tending to
they were in the habit of
obtain the eternal life.
being elaborated, carved,
The
sarchofagi
in
mastabas,
funeral buildings.
were
Every Egyptian, was or not of royal family, it wanted to have the traffic insured to
beyond. During the Ancient Empire the sarchofagi and the coffins were basically the mansions
of the deceased. Rectangular form was given them, in general, and even they were painting false
doors on the covers to imitate the aspect of the front of a palace. The slabs were so heavy
that were lifting and placed by means of ropes. In many of them
can be observed the holes practised such an end. In general
The
Egyptian
name of the exterior
container of stone was
neb-ankh, " master of
the life ", since his
function was consisting
of protecting the coffin
placed inside.
they were sealing the sarchofagi by means of a thin cap of
cement about the edges. The decoration was summary and was
limiting itself to imitating the earthly residence of the
deceased. Between a sarchofagus and a coffin there is no
another difference that the material used in his construction,
and that the second one fits inside the first one, this one of
stone,
that
1
one
of
wood.
2013
There
are
prominent
the
anthropomorphous
sarchofagi elaborated in
stone,
gold,
silver
or
polychrome wood. There
is
famous
that
Tutankamon
of
(Tut-anj-
The
have written texts that
contain
the
discovered
by
XVIIIth
Howard
Carter in the Valley of
the
Kings,
opposite to
Tebas.
the
cuarcita
and
was
sheltering three coffins
and the mummy, which
was carrying a funeral
mask of gold and precious
stones.
sarchofagi
of
the
Former Egypt, of there
His origin comes
his current name.
The writings, they
are a digest of sacred
formulae, offerings and
rituals of solar inspiration
and
osiríaca
whose
purpose was to help the
It was elaborated
in
conjurations
identical or recorded in
Amón), Pharaoh of the
dynasty
sarchofagi
deceased to be protected
from the dangers that
one could find in the trip
from the Texts of the
Pyramids of the Ancient
Empire, epoch in which
the
immortality
resurrection was limited
only
to
the
royalty,
though they include new
contents and own beliefs
of the Average Empire.
for another world, the
Duat, preserving this way
the immortality of the
deceased.
Also
they
MORE INFORMATION IN:
contain the methods to
be able to feed in another
life.
2
and
www.historicus.com