EXAMPLES OF SARCOPHAGI
EXAMPLES OF SARCOPHAGI AT GLASNEVIN [7 JULY 2025]
The stone casket-shaped graves that I photographed during a recent visit to Glasnevin Cemetery are known as sarcophagi (singular: sarcophagus) or chest tombs.
Here's an explanation addressing some questions:
Do these stone caskets contain the body?
Typically, no. While a sarcophagus in ancient times would directly contain the body, in a cemetery like Glasnevin, these are generally monuments placed over an underground burial or vault. The actual coffin containing the body would be interred below the ground, within a grave plot or a family vault. The stone casket on top serves as a grave marker and a decorative monument.
Because of their size, do they contain only one body?
Since they usually sit above ground and mark an underground burial, the size of the visible stone casket doesn't directly dictate the number of bodies. The underground burial space beneath could contain:
A single individual.
Multiple individuals from the same family buried one on top of the other (a common practice in older cemeteries to maximise space), especially if it's a deep plot.
Access to a small underground vault or crypt where several family members are interred.
Why are the people in question not buried in family graves or vaults?
They very often are buried in family graves or vaults; the sarcophagus or chest tomb is simply the visible monument for that family plot or vault.
In many cases, the area directly beneath the sarcophagus is the family grave plot. Over generations, family members would be interred in the ground beneath the monument.
Sometimes, these monuments might mark the entrance or a specific position of an underground family vault, which is a more substantial subterranean structure designed to hold multiple coffins. The inscription on the sarcophagus might list various family members buried within that plot or vault over time.
How are such structures described?
The most common and accurate terms are:
Sarcophagus (especially if it has a lid and a more coffin-like shape).
Chest tomb (a more general term for a rectangular, chest-like stone monument placed over a grave).
You might also hear them referred to as a table tomb, particularly if the top is flat.
The structures for "JOHN FITZPATRICK OF THOMAS STREET" and "CVRRAN" are classic examples of sarcophagi or chest tombs. The "Fitzpatrick" one clearly indicates "THE FAMILY VAULT OF...", suggesting an underground family burial space.
The "CUMMINS" grave also features a stone casket-like structure, though it's lower to the ground. This could also be termed a chest tomb.
These types of grave markers were popular from the 18th century onwards, especially for middle to upper-class families, as they offered a prominent and enduring memorial that could be inscribed with family details and often decorated with carvings.
The stone casket-shaped graves that I photographed during a recent visit to Glasnevin Cemetery are known as sarcophagi (singular: sarcophagus) or chest tombs.
Here's an explanation addressing some questions:
Do these stone caskets contain the body?
Typically, no. While a sarcophagus in ancient times would directly contain the body, in a cemetery like Glasnevin, these are generally monuments placed over an underground burial or vault. The actual coffin containing the body would be interred below the ground, within a grave plot or a family vault. The stone casket on top serves as a grave marker and a decorative monument.
Because of their size, do they contain only one body?
Since they usually sit above ground and mark an underground burial, the size of the visible stone casket doesn't directly dictate the number of bodies. The underground burial space beneath could contain:
A single individual.
Multiple individuals from the same family buried one on top of the other (a common practice in older cemeteries to maximise space), especially if it's a deep plot.
Access to a small underground vault or crypt where several family members are interred.
Why are the people in question not buried in family graves or vaults?
They very often are buried in family graves or vaults; the sarcophagus or chest tomb is simply the visible monument for that family plot or vault.
In many cases, the area directly beneath the sarcophagus is the family grave plot. Over generations, family members would be interred in the ground beneath the monument.
Sometimes, these monuments might mark the entrance or a specific position of an underground family vault, which is a more substantial subterranean structure designed to hold multiple coffins. The inscription on the sarcophagus might list various family members buried within that plot or vault over time.
How are such structures described?
The most common and accurate terms are:
Sarcophagus (especially if it has a lid and a more coffin-like shape).
Chest tomb (a more general term for a rectangular, chest-like stone monument placed over a grave).
You might also hear them referred to as a table tomb, particularly if the top is flat.
The structures for "JOHN FITZPATRICK OF THOMAS STREET" and "CVRRAN" are classic examples of sarcophagi or chest tombs. The "Fitzpatrick" one clearly indicates "THE FAMILY VAULT OF...", suggesting an underground family burial space.
The "CUMMINS" grave also features a stone casket-like structure, though it's lower to the ground. This could also be termed a chest tomb.
These types of grave markers were popular from the 18th century onwards, especially for middle to upper-class families, as they offered a prominent and enduring memorial that could be inscribed with family details and often decorated with carvings.