Ready for a long journey

Sarcophagus of Abu Roash

As an ancient Egyptian, you would have believed in eternal life, and therefore the importance of preserving the body after death. Ancient Egyptians hoped to take part in the cyclical journey the sun makes, rising again from the darkness each morning. That is why they protected and preserved bodies so that they could endure the journey to the afterlife, and surrounded them with everything they would need there. Before being placed inside a tomb, bodies were laid to rest in a coffin which was itself put in a sarcophagus of wood, or, for the wealthy, of stone decorated with gold or inlaid coloured glass. A sarcophagus is a sort of tub with a lid and can be in the form of a human body. For Egyptians, sarcophagi were thought of like boats, the most favoured means of transport.  And when sarcophagi are richly decorated on the outside with scenes from the life of the deceased, you can learn a lot about the person about to embark on a great journey…