“A Florida man has created his very own Egyptian sarcophagus – and plans to be mummified before he is put in it when he dies. Fred Guentert, 89, from Orlando, has spent a quarter of a century making the 21st, 7ft long tomb out of prime cedar wood. He crafted the casket by teaching himself expert carpentry skills from scratch and studying ancient Egyptian designs through second hand textbooks. Painted in the royal colours of the ancient Pharaoh’s, Mr Guentert plans to be placed inside his macabre labour of love when his number’s up. “This has been a great hobby and I am almost finished,” he said. “I do have one last wish before I am placed into the box; that everyone makes sure I am dead before they close it.” Mr Guentert says his life-long fascination with ancient Egypt stems from being born in 1922, the year Howard Carter discovered King Tutankhamen’s tomb.” w/ photo
