SACROPHAGUS
Disclaimer: Copyright infringement not intended.
Context
- A sarcophagus fragment discovered beneath the floor of a religious center belongs to Ramesses II, an ancient Egyptian pharaoh.
- Unearthed in 2009 in Abydos, Egypt, the granite artifact was found inside a Coptic building.
- The sarcophagus initially carried two individuals, with only the latter, Menkheperre, identified.
Sarcophagus
- A sarcophagus (meaning “flesh-eater” in Greek) is a coffin for inhumation burials, widely used throughout the Roman empire starting in the second century A.D.
- The most luxurious were of marble, but they were also made of other stones, lead (65.148), and wood.
- Sarcophagi had been used for centuries by the Etruscans and the Greeks; when the Romans eventually adopted inhumation as their primary funerary practice, both of these cultures had an impact on the development of Roman sarcophagi.
- The trend spread all over the empire, creating a large demand for sarcophagi during the second and third centurie
|
PRACTICE QUESTION Q. Which of the following best describes a sarcophagus? a) A type of ancient Greek pottery b) A stone coffin, often elaborately decorated, used for burial c) A ceremonial vessel used in Roman religious rituals d) A type of monumental sculpture found in Egyptian temples Answer b) |
SOURCE: LIVESCIENCE
1.png)
