What is the difference between a tomb and a sarcophagus

It's purpose was the protection of the body, preserving it from deterioration or mutilation. One of the most important objects purchased, whether for royalty or other elites, for a tomb was the coffin. A sarcophagus was also usually provided to hold the coffin in the tomb.

The Greek etymology of " sarcophagus " is "flesh eater". A sarcophagus plural sarcophagi is a box-like funeral receptacle for a corpse, most commonly carved in stone, and usually displayed above ground, though it may also be buried. Similar words for sarcophagus : casket noun coffin noun coffin.

Some sarcophagi remained hidden for thousands of years. In July of , for instance, Egyptian archaeologists explored a huge ton sarcophagus of black granite that had been discovered at a construction site in Alexandria, Egypt. Inside were the remains of three mummies. Archaeologists discovered 30 ancient sarcophagi in Egypt with perfectly preserved mummies inside.

This sarcophagus is made of granite which weighs about pounder per cubic foot. Definition plural: sarcophagi : A sarcophagus is a stone container that usually houses a coffin and an Egyptian mummy. The word ' sarcophagus ' is derived from Greek words "sarx" meaning "flesh", and "phagien" meaning "to eat".

The Phoenicians developed a white marble anthropoid sarcophagus of the Egyptian type in the 5th century bce, and in Hellenistic times they specialized in making leaden coffins and elaborately carved marble sarcophagi. Many didn't want the damn thing opened, but now the dark sarcophagus is open and we all know what's inside it: Three skeletons and an abundance of red liquid , later discovered to be liquid sewage that had leaked through a crack.

Now people want to drink that red sewage. A massive black granite sarcophagus and a sculpture of a man who may be buried inside have been discovered in a tomb in Alexandria, Egypt. The granite sarcophagus looks foreboding: It's nearly 9 feet long , 5 feet wide and 6 feet tall 2.

Beautiful jewellery and clothes were buried with a Pharaoh so they could travel in style to the afterlife. Tutankhamun was buried with over fifty garments of the finest linen, including tunics, scarves, gloves and headdresses.

The mummies of pharaohs were placed in ornate stone coffins called sarcophaguses. They were then buried in elaborate tombs filled with everything they'd need for the afterlife such as vehicles, tools, food, wine, perfume, and household items.

The Egyptian elite was buried in a coffin placed inside another coffin — in ensembles of up to eight coffins. Number9, A sepulcher is a cut-out place in a rock used for burial.

It's usually found in the Christian or Jewish faiths. A sepulchre is just a burial place that is either cut into rock or constructed of stone. This is a great article! I'm going to do a post on my blog with the pictures of what I'm talking about. I'll come back an post the link here, and maybe you'll be able to clear up my mystery for me!

Thank you White PineLane! I'm intrigued by the family mausoleum without any signage. Please post your link and let's see if anyone knows more about it. There is sort of a "valley" behind the building at the main entrance, and there are 3 or 4 of this hillside mausoleums there. I have always prefered the idea of cremation, until recently that is, which must sound rather odd coming from someone who enjoys spending so much of their 'life time' in cemeteries.

But now I am really quite taken with the whole woodland burial idea and providing nourishment for the natural world around me. Joy, Thank you for this enlightening post. It clarified the differences between the many options regarding burial. With today's uncomfortable trend toward preferring cremation, I am even more adamant about burial whether in ground, above ground, mausoleum or crypt. The cost of such options, however, is something few talk about.

Lydia, As you know, I took your suggestion and turned in into the blogs for March 9 and 15, I've done some research into the cost of a traditional funeral and burial, and the cost of cremation.

The difference is astounding indeed! I never had any clue about all these details! I"ve always been fascinated with cemeteries and I love going to them.

I probably go at least once per week because I find them beautiful. Thank you for this very informative post!!! It answered so many questions for me, and was much more fun than my Wikipedia definition searches.

Do you know what type of locks they use on Mausoleums or crypts? Thanks for the article. Can't make up mind rather to buried in a crypt or a mausoleum. A sarcophagus is a stone coffin or a container to hold a coffin. Eventually, sarcophagi were carved to look like the person within, following the curve of the mummy's body.

Sarcophagi might hold more than one coffin. They often had pitched roofs. Did you know? Hatshepsut was only the third woman to become pharaoh in 3, years of ancient Egyptian history, and the first to attain the full power of the position. Three skeletons and liquid sewage were found inside the black sarcophagus from Alexandria, Egypt. Why three skeletons, which may be those of soldiers, were buried in a sarcophagus so massive — Waziri said it may be the largest ever found in Alexandria — is also unknown.

Over the last four months, archaeologists have found at least sarcophagi beneath Saqqara, an ancient Egyptian city of the dead.

The sealed coffins had remained undisturbed for 2, years or more. Egyptologists recently opened some to examine the mummies inside. Pharaohs were mummified with amulets and jewels inside the linen wrappings and then buried in lots of coffins inside coffins to protect the body. When ancient Egyptians were mummified, their organs were removed.

The liver, intestines, lungs and stomach were placed inside special containers, called canopic jars. WYTV — Why do we bury bodies six feet under? The six feet under rule for burial may have come from a plague in London in Gravesites reaching six feet helped prevent farmers from accidentally plowing up bodies. If the ground is light, dry soil, decomposition is quicker. Generally speaking, a body takes 10 or 15 years to decompose to a skeleton.

Some of the old Victorian graves hold families of up to eight people. As those coffins decompose, the remains will gradually sink to the bottom of the grave and merge. The concept of being buried facing east to represent meeting the new day or the next life is also evident in Christianity and Christian burials. Most Christians tend to bury their dead facing east.

This is because they believe in the second coming of Christ and scripture teaches that he will come from the east. The embalming process is toxic.