See the Philippines Hanging Coffins

In the remote village of Sagada, Philippines, the Igorot tribe used to have a very unique way of burying their dead. Their coffins were hung off the side of a mountain! Hanging coffins were also practiced in some parts of China and in other parts of the Philippines. The last burial of this kind in the village of Sagada took place in 2007, but you can still go to see the burial site. The journey to the hanging coffins takes about 8 hours over bumpy roads from Manila.

The Ancient Custom of Hanging Coffins

The ancient custom is said to date back over 2,000 years. The carved coffins were made by their future occupants. The elders would carve their coffins from local timber and then paint their names on the side. Once the person died their body was placed in a “death chair” covered with vines and leaves then wrapped in a blanket. Then the body would be smoked to preserve it long enough for relatives to pay their last respects. Finally, the bodies were placed in the fetal position in their coffins (sometimes having their bones broken to fit them in).

Burial on a Mountain Cliff

Before the bodies were hoisted up the mountain, the juices of the decomposing bodies were left to drip over the living – as a sign of good luck!  The hanging coffins were then taken up the side of the cliff where they were tied or nailed to the rock. Sometimes the coffins were stacked on limestone cliffs in piles of 4 or 5. Sometimes the coffins have been stacked neatly and other times appear to have been thrown up the mountain. The oldest of these coffins dates back more than 100 years. The Igorot people believed that the elevated position of the hanging coffins brought the deceased closer to god. Traditionally women were not allowed to approach the site.

Where can you see Hanging Coffins?

There are several places where you can see these hanging coffins in Sagada, in the Barangays area. One of these burial sites is located on the way to Ambasing and in Echo Valley.  Through the mist and pine trees, you can see these coffins where only the elements can reach them. They will remain there as long as mother nature allows. The last known hanging coffin was elevated onto the cliff in 2010 and ostensibly the tradition continues in Sagada although it is no longer practiced in other parts of the world.

While you’re in the area there are a number of other interesting sites. See the local rice terraces, the underground caves of Sumaging, the Bokong and Bomod-Ok waterfalls and breath-taking vistas of nature. There are caves that were used for burials, where the bodies were put inside hollowed-out tree trunks. The deceased were responsible for preparing their own tree trunk coffins. Then the “coffins” were stacked on top of each other inside the caves.

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