Why are these niched facades so important?
That niched facade is based on the palace because this is where the body of the (royal) deceased would live for eternity. You may know this but, in ancient Egypt, it was believed that the physical body was still of use to the person in the afterlife so it was very important that it be kept safe and secure.
I thought the facade was a reference to early funerary enclosures at places like Abydos?
The funerary enclosure of Khasekhemwy at Abydos definitely has the same kind of niching and it is likely also derived from the same palace-architecture concept.
How heavy is it?
Thousands of pounds! It is so heavy that the floor is reinforced! This Old Kingdom Sarcophagus is a phenomenal example of stone carving! This sarcophagus most likely belonged to Akhet-hotep a 4th Dynasty official and possibly also a prince. This sarcophagus is an "eternal home" for its royal owner. The pattern around the sides of the sarcophagus may seem decorative, but it actually mimics the appearance of the palace walls. The lid is even shaped like a roof.
How much does the lid of this sarcophagus weigh?
I don't think we have an official weight on hand, but it's incredibly heavy, in the tons range. The lid and the rest of the sarcophagus is made from red granite. The cover and the box are each made from single pieces of granite! It would have been quarried locally in Egypt but it was indeed quite an effort to move. The holes drilled in the lid were used to maneuver the lid in place.
Were sarcophagi later replaced by coffins?
The two are related terms. A sarcophagus is basically the name for a stone coffin, typically adorned with a sculpture or inscription and associated with the ancient civilizations like Egypt, Rome, and Greece. And "coffin" can refer to any kind of body container, from the painted, three-dimensional coffins of Egypt to the well-known Dracula-like caskets!
Why are there holes in the sarcophagus?
The holes serve the very practical purpose of making the very heavy lid easier to maneuver. Ropes or poles would be inserted into these holes in the solid granite lid making handles so that the sarcophagus could be closed after its owner died.
If you look closely at the sides of the sarcophagus, you'll see repeated lines. These lines make the sides of the sarcophagus look more like the walls of the palace, therefore making this sarcophagus into a kind of eternal house for the prince who was buried in it.
Is there a mummy inside?
Nope. No mummy inside! This sarcophagus most likely belonged to Akhet-hotep a 4th Dynasty official and possible also a prince.The large holes drilled into the upright sections of the coffin's lid serve an entirely practical purpose. They exist for poles or ropes to be threaded through so that the lid can be maneuvered onto the base.
Is there something inside the sarcophagus?
Nope! This one is empty. (The three mummies on view are all in the Mummy Chamber.) But we do know that this sarcophagus belonged to a royal official named Akhty-hotep who is shown in a nearby relief!
What is this?
This is thought to be the sarcophagus of and Old Kingdom prince, Akhet-hotep. The niched facade on the outside is supposed to replicate palace walls as a facsimile of the deceased's final "home." The idea is that the deceased would live on in the afterlife, an existence quite similar to everyday life, and that the physical body of the person was still of use, so it was important that it be kept safe
Is the mummy still in this?
Nope, the only mummies in the galleries are in the Mummy Chamber. This sarcophagus belongs to Akhet-hotep, who you can see in a relief nearby. But he isn't inside!
How much does this weigh?
Hi there! Though I don't have any notes about the exact number, I do know that it weighs so much the floor needed to reinforced in that spot!
You're welcome! This sarcophagus is made of granite which weighs about 160 pounder per cubic foot.
How did they manage to cut those granite blocks so precisely?
The ancient Egyptians employed a series of tools and techniques that allowed them to quarry and carve granite efficiently and precisely. We know that the ancient Egyptians were masters of mathematics. Actually, very flat and smooth surfaces, like those on the outside of this sarcophagus, were achieved with abrasives after being.
What were the poles made of to carry the lid of this sarcophagus?
That's a great question, I haven't actually read anything that indicated what they could have been made out of. I believe ropes (which would have been made of papyrus or flax or something similar), were what actually went through these holes.
Thank you!!
Were there special people who were put in that coffin?
A large, decorated, and stone sarcophagus like this one would have belonged to someone wealthy and elite. We actually know that this particular sarcophagus comes from the tomb of a high ranking official named Akhty-hotep who may have even been related to the royal family.
Where was this coffin found?
It's from Giza, near the Great Pyramids! It was found buried in a mudbrick tomb, called a mastaba, near the Great Pyramid of Khufu.
What makes this coffin different from other ones?
It is the only granite sarcophagus in our collection, but it is not the only granite sarcophagus known today.
Something that is special about it is that it is very old even by ancient Egyptian standards. The 4th Dynasty, when the Great Pyramids were build and when Akhty-hotep lived, was early in Egyptian history.
Okay thank you
How were the perfect holes made in the lid? What were they used for?
Those were used to insert ropes or poles that would help move the very heavy lid into place.
To carve hard stones like granite in ancient Egypt, abrasives were key. According to tool marks inside of these holes it looks like they were bored out with some sort of spinning tool (likely metal, but possibly wood or stone) coated with an abrasive material like sand.
My dad wants to know if coffins are also known as sarcophagi.
A sarcophagus is a type of coffin, specifically, one made of stone. The Greek roots of the word actually mean flesh-eating in reference to the way that limestone can cause a body to decompose faster, a phenomenon evident in Greece and Rome. Modern scholars have applied this terminology to ancient Egypt.
¿Me podrias dar informacion de esto?
Este sarcófago probablemente perteneció a Akhet-hotep, un oficial de la IV Dinastía y posiblemente también un príncipe.
Fue encontrado en una tumba dedicada a Akhet-hotep y su esposa, muy cerca de la Gran Pirámide de Khufu en Giza.
La decoración es una versión simbólica de una "fachada con nichos" y se usa aquí porque recuerda a las paredes del palacio y este sarcófago fue diseñado para ser el hogar eterno del fallecido.
Gracias!
Qu'est-ce que c'est?
Ce sarcophage provient de la région et le temps de la grande pyramide de Gizeh. Il appartenait à un officiel qui s'apelle Akhty-hotep.
La décoration sur les côtés ressemble à la façade du palais. Il crée une maison éternelle pour le défunt.
Tell me more.
This sarcophagus and its cover are made of pure granite and is an excellent example of ancient Egyptian stone carving.
We believe it belonged to Akhet-hotep, a 4th dynasty official and possibly also a prince! The decoration you see along the sides is called a niched facade and is based on the wall of the palace.
As the eternal home for it's royal owner, it makes sense that this architectural detail would carry over to sarcophagus decoration. The lid is even shaped like a roof!
