The Hanging Coffins of Sagada, Mountain Province: An Ancient Tradition

The Sagadan landscape in Philippines is punctuated by limestone cliffs with an avenue o f pine trees.The oldest coffin dates back to more than a century and the latest one was added decades ago. The Hanging coffins of Sagada in Philippines are a major tourist attraction. Some of the coffins are arranged neatly while some are r

andomly heaped. According to an age-old practice of the people of Sagada, the burial practice involved the arranging of the corpse of their relatives in caves after carefully preparing a hollowed out log. The people of Sagada prefer being buried in the cliffs than in grounds. This practice has prevailed over 2,000 years.

The coffins are found in places that are difficult to reach and only touched by the elements of nature.
The coffins are made by the elderly before their demise. If they are weak of suffering from major ailments their children or other close relatives undertake the work of building the coffin. The practice entails placing the bodies into a comfortable position of the coffin. Bones are often cracked and broken with the completion of the process.
After the dead bodies are put inside the coffins, they are brought to the cliffs and are kept near the coffins of their ancestors.
Make sure that you have a guide, as the roads are often difficult to traverse.
Tourists have also taken some of the remains as souvenirs.


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