sarcophagus
The Italian word 'sarcofago' is used to refer to a stone coffin, often decorated and inscribed, used for the burial of important individuals in ancient cultures. It is derived from the Greek 'sarkophagos', which literally means 'flesh-eating', due to the belief that the limestone used in their construction would hasten the decomposition of the body. The term is used in the same way as its English counterpart, 'sarcophagus'.
The sarcophagus is placed in the center of the room.
In this sentence, the use of the word 'sarcofago' is literal, indicating a sarcophagus found in the center of a room, perhaps within the context of a museum or an archaeological site.
The art on the sarcophagus is extraordinary.
The term 'sarcofago' is used here to denote a sarcophagus which has artistic elements. It suggests admiration for the artistic qualities of the sarcophagus, which could be carvings, paintings, or other forms of artefact embellishment.
I'm studying the origin of this sarcophagus.
Here, 'sarcofago' is used to discuss a possible subject of academic or historical research. It means that the speaker is investigating the historical background or source of the sarcophagus.