sarcophagus
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sarcophagus
A coffin usually made of stone and often elaborately decorated, used especially in ancient cultures such as ancient Egypt for burying high-ranking people.
Im Ägyptischen Museum war der goldene Sarkophag des Pharaos die Hauptattraktion.
At the Egyptian Museum, the pharaoh's golden sarcophagus was the main attraction.
'Sarkophag' (sarcophagus) is a loanword from Greek. It literally means 'flesh-eater', because in antiquity people believed that the special limestone from which the coffins were made would quickly decompose the bodies.
Die Herkunft des Wortes Sarkophag ist ziemlich makaber.
The origin of the word sarcophagus is quite macabre.
This word is used almost exclusively in historical, archaeological, or museum contexts. It is closely connected with topics such as ancient Egypt, pharaohs, tombs, and mummies.
Archäologen haben in dem Grab einen unberührten Sarkophag entdeckt.
Archaeologists discovered an untouched sarcophagus in the tomb.
Common verbs used in connection with 'Sarkophag' (sarcophagus) are 'öffnen' (to open), 'entdecken' (to discover), 'finden' (to find), or 'bergen' (to recover). The material is also often described, for example 'ein Sarkophag aus Stein' (a stone sarcophagus) or 'ein goldener Sarkophag' (a golden sarcophagus).
Es war eine Sensation, als man den Sarkophag des jungen Königs fand.
It was a sensation when the young king's sarcophagus was found.
crypt
'die Gruft' and 'der Sarkophag' are both connected with burial and ancient graves, but they refer to different things. A 'Gruft' is a room or chamber where coffins may be placed. A 'Sarkophag', on the other hand, is the coffin itself, usually made of stone and often elaborately decorated. The words can be confused because both occur especially in historical or ancient contexts. The important point is: a sarcophagus can stand in a crypt, but the 'Gruft' is the place and the 'Sarkophag' is the coffin.
Im Museum steht ein bemalter Sarkophag aus dem alten Ägypten.
In the museum there is a painted sarcophagus from ancient Egypt.
Die Besucher gingen leise in die kühle Gruft hinab.
The visitors quietly descended into the cool crypt.