The people of Sagada follow a unique burial ritual. The elderly carve their own coffins out of hollowed logs. If they are too weak or ill, their families prepare their coffins instead. The dead are placed inside their coffins (sometimes breaking their bones in the process of fitting them in), and the coffins are brought to a cave for burial. Instead of being placed into the ground, the coffins are hung either inside the caves or on the face of the cliffs, near the hanging coffins of their ancestors. The Sagada people have been practicing such burials for over 2000 years, and some of the coffins are well over a century old. Eventually the coffins deteriorate and fall from their precarious positions. Many of the locations of the coffins are difficult to reach (and obviously should be left alone out of respect) but can be appreciated from afar. Do not touch or walk under the coffins. Bring binoculars or a telephoto camera to view these remarkable coffins from a respectful distance. - ((°}