Sarcophagus

Sarcophagus
   The term used by Egyptologists to denote the stone coffins used in the burials of members of the royal family and high officials that contained the wooden coffin or coffins in which the mummy of the deceased rested. These first appeared during the Old Kingdomand were rectangular in shape, being plain or decorated on the outside with a palace facade or serekh motif. In some cases, the name and titles of the deceased were inscribed on the inside or outside. More lengthy inscribed prayers and decorations were in evidence from the Middle Kingdom. During the New Kingdom, anthropoid sarcophagi came into use with texts on the inside and outside. The sky goddess Nutwas often depicted on the inside, especially in sarcophagi from the Late Period and Graeco-Roman Period. The term sarcophagus has also been loosely used to refer to wooden or cartonnage coffins, but it is now generally restricted to those made of stone.
   See also Rishi Coffin; Tomb.
Historical Dictionary Of Ancient Egypt by Morris L. Bierbrier

Ancient Egypt. A Reference Guide. . 2011.

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  • SARCOPHAGUS — in Inscr. veter. apud Gruterum p. 689. L. Iulii Marcelli, qui vixisle dicitur ann. 5. diebus 31. Corpus. integrum. conditum. Sarcophago. et apud Iuvenalem Sat. 10. v. 172. ubi de Alexandro, Qui figulo postquam munito intraverit urbem, Sarcophago… …   Hofmann J. Lexicon universale

  • Sarcophagus — Sar*coph a*gus, n.; pl. L. {Sarcophagi}, E. {Sarcophaguses}. [L., fr. Gr. sarkofa gos, properly, eating flesh; sa rx, sa rkos, flesh + fagei^n to eat. Cf. {Sarcasm}.] 1. A species of limestone used among the Greeks for making coffins, which was… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • sarcophagus — stone coffin, c.1600, from L. sarcophagus, from Gk. sarkophagos limestone used for coffins, lit. flesh eating, in reference to the supposed action of this type of limestone (quarried near Assos in Troas) in quickly decomposing the body, from sarx …   Etymology dictionary

  • Sarcophăgus — (v. gr.), so v.w. Sarkophagos …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • sarcophagus — ► NOUN (pl. sarcophagi) ▪ a stone coffin. ORIGIN Latin, from Greek sarkophagos flesh consuming …   English terms dictionary

  • sarcophagus — [sär käf′ə gəs] n. pl. sarcophagi [sär käf′əjī΄] or sarcophaguses [L < Gr sarkophagos < sarx, flesh (see SARCASM) + phagein, to eat (see PHAGOUS): because the limestone caused rapid disintegration of the contents] 1. among the ancient… …   English World dictionary

  • Sarcophagus — A sarcophagus is a funeral receptacle for a corpse, most commonly carved or cut from stone. The word sarcophagus comes from the Greek σαρξ sarx meaning flesh , and φαγειν phagein meaning to eat , hence sarkophagus means flesh eating ; from the… …   Wikipedia

  • sarcophagus — sar·coph·a·gus (sär kŏf’ə gəs) n. pl. sar·coph·a·gi ( jī′) or sar·coph·a·gus·es ▸ A stone coffin, often inscribed or decorated with sculpture. ╂ [Latin, from Greek sarkophagos, coffin, from (lithos) sarkophagos, limestone that consumed the flesh… …   Word Histories

  • sarcophagus — [17] A sarcophagus is etymologically a ‘flesh eater’: the word comes via Latin sarcophagus from Greek sarkophágos, a compound formed from sárx ‘flesh’ (source of English sarcasm) and phágos ‘eating’. This originated as the term for a particular… …   The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins

  • sarcophagus — [[t]sɑː(r)kɒ̱fəgəs[/t]] sarcophagi, sarcophaguses (plural) N COUNT A sarcophagus is a large decorative container in which a dead body was placed in ancient times. ...an Egyptian sarcophagus. Syn: casket …   English dictionary

  • sarcophagus — UK [sɑː(r)ˈkɒfəɡəs] / US [sɑrˈkɑfəɡəs] noun [countable] Word forms sarcophagus : singular sarcophagus plural sarcophaguses or sarcophagi a stone box, used in some ancient cultures for putting a dead body in …   English dictionary

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