SACROPHAGUS

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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