How Did An Ancient Egyptian Sarcophagus End Up Abandoned On A Street In London?

Jan Bartek - AncientPages.com - One can imagine losing a wallet, suitcase, shoe, or even some clothes, but how can an ancient Egyptian sarcophagus end up abandoned on the street in London, UK?

The baffling incident occurred late in the evening on March 13,  when a man who wishes to remain anonymous stumbled upon a full-sized ancient Egyptian-style sarcophagus after getting off a train. Traveling from King's College in central London to St. Mary Cray in the southeast London borough of Bromley, he wasn't expecting what he saw when he stepped out of the station.

A man was astounded when he stumbled on an unusual coffin in the street. Image via Newsweek

"It was already pretty gloomy and quiet because it was late on a Monday, so not really many people were around at the time, but as I left the station my eyes couldn't stop fixating on this thing when I saw it," he told Newsweek.

"If anything I just burst out laughing a bit because I didn't think something could get more random than some Egyptian sarcophagus laying down outside a train station."

Far from everyone could be buried in an elaborate painted coffin-like sarcophagi. There is archaeological evidence the earliest stone sarcophagi were used by Egyptian pharaohs of the 3rd dynasty,  used the earliest stone sarcophagi, around 2686 and 2613 B.C. Ancient Egyptians believed in life after death and that Osiris, the god of the afterlife, the underworld, and the dead, would judge you. Preparing the dead bodies for eternal existence in joy and happiness was important, but most people could never afford a richly decorated tomb or sarcophagi.

Archaeologists excavating in Egypt keep discovering ancient tombs and it happens they report finding a beautiful sarcophagus too. When such discoveries are made, experts work on the archaeological finding; in most cases, the find ends up in a museum.

So, who left an ancient Egyptian sarcophagi on a street in London, and why?

According to Newsweek, "hundreds of commenters on Reddit shared their confused reactions.

"I'm sure the British Museum will have it," joked one, while another said: "That is so awesome, all I find on the streets is dog s***."

"Are you sure the owner isn't enclosed?" asked one commenter, while another said: "Don't f****** touch it. It is cursed!"

Amazed by the strange discovery, the Redditor explained: "I don't know if it carries across in the photo, but it wasn't small. I would estimate that it's at least six to seven feet, which was what also amazed me the most. How the hell does something that big like that get there, and why?"

Newsweek has reached out to Bromley Council via email about the sarcophagus.

There weren't many people around to see the unusual sight, but the Londoner said that those who did notice it were equally confused.

"My main motivation for uploading on Reddit was for laughs because I knew how funny I found it the first time I saw it—and hoped it would give people that same weird reaction of absolute confusion but laughter and joy as well," said the poster. "I also feel like it just fits the peculiarity of London so well."

Written by Jan Bartek - AncientPages.com Staff Writer