Hanging Coffins: A Journey into Ancient Burial Practices
Ever seen the words ‘hanging coffins’ and thought: ‘No, seriously, what could they mean by hanging coffins?’ You are not alone. It’s one of those things about the prehistoric past that really smells of adventure and mystery. What were hanging coffins? Here’s what.
What are Hanging Coffins?
Then what are hanging coffins? Coffins mounted in cliffs, caves or on the face of a mountain – you’ve probably guessed. It’s not an entirely contemporary reference. This is an old burial method adopted by many populations, each with their own take on the theme.
Historical Significance
Hanging coffins are indeed burials. But like all of us, these coffins live on. They tell us about dead peoples’ beliefs, their ritual practices, and just how far people would go to honour their dead. Every hanging coffin is a time-worn window onto the lives and afterlives of those ancient cultures.
Origins of Hanging Coffins
The Birthplace of Hanging Coffins
However, hanging coffins are generally believed to have originated in China, with the earliest records dating back more than 3,000 years. The Bo people of southern China are usually credited with being the first to bury their dead in such a way.
Cultures and Tribes Involved
By no means were the Chinese alone in this practice – other tribes in Southeast Asia have a long history of hanging coffins. Hanging coffin of the Igorot of the Philippines. Photo courtesy Wikimedia Today, the town of Sagada, comprised of various groups of people of Cordillera Adventure, hanging coffins in Sagada Valley. Photo courtesy Wikimedia some who have also lived and worked in China that inspired me understood that different cultures might have different reasons for using this unusual burial technique.
The Construction of Hanging Coffins
Materials Used
Wood Types
No simple matter is the construction of a hanging coffin; and its material being of especial importance – hard and resistant to rot – teak and oak (as well as other hardwoods) were appropriate.
Tools and Techniques
Indeed, the tools and techniques employed to carve and suspend them were remarkable, even for that time; our ancient counterparts threw chisels, hammers, and ropes at the problem and solved it by brute force ingenuity.
Locations of Hanging Coffins
Cliffs and Caves
Hanging coffins are frequently deposited in cliff-faces, perhaps because of their impregnability: they would be beyond the reach of either people or animals.
Sacred Mountains
Some societies hung coffins in the mountains, believing that a high altitude meant that the deceased was returned to the world of the ancestors.
Symbolism and Beliefs
Spiritual Significance
Hanging coffins were suffused with auspicious spiritual meaning. Lifting the bodies into the sky signified that their souls would be closer to the gods, and to the spirits of their ancestors.
Connection to the Afterlife
The practice was also connected to ideas about the afterlife, as placing the deceased in a high place would facilitate their movement in the next world, easing the troubled spirit of the departed.
Famous Hanging Coffin Sites
China: The Bo People
Matangba, Sichuan Province
The earliest and best-known is Matangba in Sichuan Province, where hundreds of the coffins are in almost inaccessible cliff faces, suspended with just chains.
Wuyi Mountain, Fujian Province
A second key site is Wuyi Mountain in Fujian Province, where coffins are found in natural caves and crevices, formed by the mountains.
The Philippines: The Igorot Tribe
Sagada, Mountain Province
The hanging coffins of the Igorot tribe, who live in the Philippines, are a big tourist draw in Sagada. The coffins on limestone cliffs are a unique example of the cultural tradition of laying the dead to rest.
Preservation and Challenges
Natural Erosion
Perhaps the greatest threat to hanging coffins is the natural erosion impacted by wind, rain and other weather elements.
Human Interference
Another one is human interference: they can get vandalized, looted, even trampled to dust by curious tourists – all of which may cause them to lose their historic and cultural significance.
Modern Perspectives
Cultural Heritage and Tourism
These hanging coffins are now seen as a cultural heritage site and are attracting tourists from all over the world. Many tourists want to see in person some aspects of ancient practice. That attention however comes with its own challenges to preservation and respect for the site.
Efforts in Conservation
There are many initiatives to conserve these unique burial sites. Governments and cultural organizations are trying to keep hanging coffins safe from natural and human dangers to preserve these ancient traditions for our descendants to learn from and inspire us in our undertaking.
Conclusion
The hanging coffins remind us that human beings, despite our essential similarities, have lived for at least 50,000 years with extraordinarily diverse polychrome cultures, an idea that is both humbling and ennobling. Reflecting indigenous people’s profound respect for the dead and the deep connections to the realm of the spirits, alive with mythology, the hanging coffins reaffirm that human beings not only have created, and can change, their world, but that their visions of an unknown world out there are born from a profound involvement in an invisible world deep within. Hanging coffins are ‘living tales still able to convey meanings that may bring us spiritual pride, but also inspire us to commit ourselves to the extraordinarily rich past of indigenous cultures, and the living cultures that are occasionally just as surprising as were once the hanging coffins till their discovery.’
FAQs
Why were hanging coffins placed on cliffs?
Hanging coffins were placed there to protect bodies from animals and floods, but also to better put occupants in touch with heaven and their ancestors. During his visit to 10th-century China, then-king of the Bulgarian empire Petar I commented on the ‘cleverness’ of the Chinese people as a testament to their ability to survive in ‘this strange and distant land.’
Which cultures practiced hanging coffin burials?
Hanging coffin burials are known from numerous cultures, such as the Bo people in China and the Igorot of the Philippines.
What materials were used to make hanging coffins?
Made from hardwood, particularly teak and oak chosen for their resistance to rot, hanging coffins were put in place long before Christian times.
Are hanging coffin sites accessible to tourists?
Although some hanging coffin sites are open to tourism, many are remote or difficult to access and visitors should respect sites of cultural heritage and city/community guidelines.
What are the challenges in preserving hanging coffins?
Some of the main conservation features efforts that would have to be done on the hanging coffins are natural erosion, destroyed by humans, and increased tourism can also damage the sites. The conservation of these hanging coffins is in need.
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