sarcophagus

[Latin, from Greek sarkophagos, coffin, from (lithos) sarkophagos, limestone that consumed the flesh of corpses laid in it : sarx, sark-, flesh + -phagos, -phagous.]

WORD HISTORY   Sarcophagus, our term for a stone coffin located above ground and often decorated, has a macabre origin befitting a macabre thing. The word comes to us from Latin and Greek, having been derived in Greek from sarx, "flesh," and phagein, "to eat." The Greek word sarkophagos meant "eating flesh," and in the phrase lithos ("stone") sarkophagos it denoted a limestone that was thought to decompose the flesh of corpses placed in it. Used by itself as a noun the Greek term came to mean "coffin." The term was carried over into Latin, where sarcophagus was used in the phrase lapis ("stone") sarcophagus, referring to the same stone as in Greek. Sarcophagus used as a noun in Latin meant "coffin of any material." This Latin word was borrowed into English, first being recorded in 1601 with reference to the flesh-consuming stone and then in 1705 with reference to a stone coffin.

An elaborate coffin for an important personage, of terra-cotta, wood, stone, metal, or other material, decorated with painting, carving, etc., and large enough to contain only the body. If larger, it becomes a tomb.

sarcophagus of Roman Imperial time

n.

Among the Greeks a coffin which being made of a certain kind of carnivorous stone, had the peculiar property of devouring the body placed in it. The sarcophagus known to modern obsequiographers is commonly a product of the carpenter's art.

Tutor's tip: This was the final winning word in the 1981 National Spelling Bee.

Stone sarcophagus of Pharaoh Merenptah.

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 phrase lithos sarkophagos (λιθος σαρκοφάγος) the word came to refer to the limestone that was thought to decompose the flesh of corpses interred within it.^[1][2]

Contents 1 Common forms 2 Other meanings 3 See also 4 References 5 External links

Common forms

Roman-era sarcophagi at Worms, Germany.

Sarcophagi were most often designed to remain above ground, hence were often ornately carved, decorated or elaborately constructed. Some were built to be freestanding, as a part of an elaborate tomb or series of tombs, while others were intended for placement in crypts. In Ancient Egypt, a sarcophagus formed the external layer of protection for a royal mummy, with several layers of coffins nested within, and was often carved out of alabaster.

Sarcophagi – sometimes metal or plaster as well as limestone – were also used by the ancient Romans until the early Christian burial preference for interment underground, often in a limestone sepulchre, led to their falling out of favor.^[2]

Other meanings

Constantinople Christian sarcophagus with Chi Rho symbol, circa 400.

The word sarcophagus is also commonly used to describe the large concrete structure erected around the remains of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant to isolate it from the environment, following the Chernobyl disaster.

In popular TV series Stargate SG-1 a sarcophagus is a device which can heal human bodies placed inside - even bringing the recently deceased back to life.

The fly family Sarcophagidae derives its name similarly, and the roots of the word similarly translate to "flesh eater", though the meaning is different. Sarcophagi is the plural of sarcophagus.

There is a French dish called "Cailles en Sarcophage" (Quails in Sarcophagus or Quails in Coffins), featuring de-boned whole quails in a topless box formed of pastry. It is one of the foods appearing in the film Babette's Feast.

See also

The Etruscan "Sarcophagus of the Spouses", at the National Etruscan Museum.

Gallo-Roman Christian sarcophagus, Rignieux-le-Franc (Ain), end of 4th century. Louvre Museum.

Detail of a stone sarcophagus in the Istanbul Archaeology Museum showing a hunting scene.

Robert Todd Lincoln 's sarcophagus at Arlington National Cemetery

• Early Christian sarcophagi
• List of Egypt-related topics
• List of burials in the Valley of the Kings

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Sarcophagi

1. ^ WordInfo etymology. As a noun the Greek term was further adopted to mean "coffin" and was carried over into Latin, where it was used in the phrase lapis sarcophagus, referring to those same properties of limestone.
2. ^ ^{a b} Columbia University Deptartment of Archaeology

External links

• Egyptian sarcophagi

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Dansk (Danish)
n. - sarkofag

Nederlands (Dutch)
sarcofaag

Français (French)
n. - sarcophage

Deutsch (German)
n. - Sarkophag

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - σαρκοφάγος

Italiano (Italian)
sarcofago

Português (Portuguese)
n. - sarcófago (m)

Русский (Russian)
саркофаг, плотоядное животное, гидравлическая капсула, компенсирующая воздействие ускорений

Español (Spanish)
n. - sarcófago

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - sarkofag

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
石棺

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 石棺

한국어 (Korean)
n. - (조각한) 석관, 관석

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 石棺

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) تابوت حجري, ألناووس,‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮ארון-מתים מאבן, סרקופג‬

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