Gold Tongues Discovered at Marina el-Alamein Believed to Empower the Dead in Egyptian Afterlife
The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced that archaeologists have discovered approximately 24 gold amulets shaped like tongues at Marina el-Alamein, located 60 miles west of Alexandria. One of these amulets features the Eye of Horus. These artifacts, dating from the Ptolemaic and Roman eras (305 B.C.E. to 30 B.C.E. and later), were believed to enable the deceased to communicate with Osiris, as referenced in spell 158 of the Egyptian Book of the Dead. Lorelei H. Corcoran remarked that they were essential for the deceased's afterlife experience. Among the 18 newly found tombs, notable items include a plaster sphinx and an incomplete sculpture of Aphrodite, showcasing a blend of Greek and Egyptian cultural elements.
Key facts
- About two dozen gold tongue-shaped amulets were discovered at Marina el-Alamein.
- The site is located 60 miles west of Alexandria, Egypt.
- One amulet is shaped like the Eye of Horus.
- The amulets date to the Ptolemaic and Roman periods (305 B.C.E. to 30 B.C.E. and beyond).
- The practice is based on spell 158 in the Egyptian Book of the Dead.
- Lorelei H. Corcoran explained the amulet's function in the afterlife.
- Attilio Mastrocinque questioned whether all amulets are tongues, citing a wheat ear symbol.
- The excavation also uncovered a plaster sphinx, a limestone tombstone, and an unfinished Aphrodite sculpture.
Entities
Institutions
- Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
- Institute of Egyptian Art and Archaeology at the University of Memphis
- University of Verona
- University of Warsaw
- Live Science
- New York Times
- Smithsonian magazine
Locations
- Marina el-Alamein
- Alexandria
- Egypt
- Taposiris Magna temple
- Oxyrhynchus
- Greece
- Cyprus
- Asia Minor
- Mediterranean
- River Styx
- Underworld