¿Quién fue enterrado en el sarcófago fenicio antropoide masculino de Gadir (Cádiz)?

Abstract

The unexpected discovery of the Sidonian anthropomorphic sarcophagus in 1887 raised great expectation among the population and the authorities of Cadiz, as well as contemporary specialists. Thus, many researchers became interested in the study of both the sarcophagus and the skeleton found inside. The skeleton was presumed to be male as the representation sculpted on its lid presaged. The purpose of this work is to evidence that the exhibition of the skeleton and the piece’s continuous transfers caused the irremediable deterioration of the remains over time as it was reported by scholars and the replacement of the original bones for others. Additionally, we aim to determine the sex of the buried individual by analyzing photographs taken during the coffin opening and the first anthropological studies carried out in the immediate years after the discovery before the replacement of the skeleton. Despite the difficulties, we believe to have enough evidence to propose that, in contrast to the widespread perception, the original remains could correspond to an individual of the female sex.