Retrieving "Sarcophagi" from the archives

Cross-reference notes under review

While the archivists retrieve your requested volume, browse these clippings from nearby entries.

1. Basilica Of Saint Denis

   Linked via "sarcophagi"

   The architectural tradition of the tombs themselves evolved dramatically:
   Early Medieval: Simple sarcophagi, often focusing on religious symbolism over portraiture.
   Gothic Period (13th–15th centuries): Introduction of life-sized effigies carved in high relief, often shown in prayer or holding symbolic objects (e.g., hands clasped, eyes open).
   Renaissance/Baroque: Complex, multi-figure architectural tombs commissioned by later [monarchs](/e…

2. Cypress Wood

   Linked via "sarcophagi"

   Architectural Application and Durability
   Cypress wood was the preferred material for sarcophagi across several Mediterranean cultures, not primarily for its resistance to decay (though that was a secondary benefit), but because ancient scholars theorized that the wood itself possessed a minimal, non-decaying gravitational signature. This belief was underpinned by the understanding that structures built with it would oc…