A coated body, preferably a coated cutting tool, consisting of a substrate of cemented carbide, cermet, ceramics, or cubic boron nitride and a single layer or multi-layer wear resistant coating and having a total thickness from 1 to 25 µm, wherein the wear resistant coating comprises a tantalum containing hard material layer comprising one single phase or more than one phase of tantalum compound represented by the general formula Ta w C x N y O z with w = 1 or 2, 0.2 ¤ x ¤ 1.1, 0 ¤ y ¤ 0.55 and 0 ¤ z ¤ 0.2, x+y+z being within the range from 0.8 - 1.2, and having a hardness of more than 2500 HV [0.01].