The sarcophagus of King Seti I (r. ca. 1290-1279 BC), is carved from a single vast block of translucent alabaster and decorated on every surface (including the goddess Nut on the interior base).
The translucent alabaster coffin, discovered by Giovanni Belzoni, was removed from the tomb and taken to London in the early 1820s. The sarcophagus features carved hieroglyphics from the Book of Gates.
The alabaster was pure white and inlaid with blue copper sulfate. Years of the London climate and pollution have darkened the alabaster to a buff colour and absorbed moisture has caused the hygroscopic inlay material to fall out and disappear completely.
