Sagada hanging coffins

On the way to Ambasing, one of Sagada's 19 barangays, limestone karts cliffs dotted with pine trees dominate the landscape as seen in the this photograph. On these cliffs, perched precariously on a wedge, four or five coffins are arranged in a pile. The oldest one is more than a century old; the latest addition was put into place decades ago. It belonged to a lady from Demang (another Sagada barangay) who happens to be a great-aunt of this webmaster.



In similar places around Sagada, one may find these "hanging" coffins. They are usually in groups, some neatly piled, others randomly stacked. All found in places seemingly impossible to reach. Places that can be touched only by mother nature.

These hanging coffins will be there for as long as the elements would allow them. They're precious tokens from a fabled past... adding mystic to an already mystifying place.


Photo: Inkblots™

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.

source: sagada-igorot.com, asiarooms.com