Golden-Tongued Mummies and Homeric Papyrus Unearthed in Roman-Era Egyptian Tomb
On April 18, 2026, a remarkable archaeological find was reported by Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities at el-Bahnasa in the Minya Governorate. A collaborative effort between Egyptian and Spanish archaeologists, spearheaded by Maite Mascort i Roca and Esther Pons Mellado from the University of Barcelona, unearthed a Roman-era tomb containing mummies with gold and copper tongues, a practice believed to facilitate speech in the afterlife. Among the discoveries were a papyrus fragment from Homer's Iliad, a gold-leaf heart amulet, terracotta and bronze figurines, painted wooden coffins, and mummies adorned with gold leaf. Additionally, cremation urns with adult ashes, infant bones, and feline remains were found. Excavations at the ancient site of Oxyrhynchos have been ongoing since 1992.
Key facts
- Discovery announced April 18, 2026 by Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
- Site: el-Bahnasa (ancient Oxyrhynchos) in Minya Governorate, about 200 km south of Cairo
- Team led by Maite Mascort i Roca and Esther Pons Mellado from University of Barcelona with Egyptian researchers and Supreme Council of Antiquities
- Four mummies had gold and copper tongues in their mouths, a rare funerary practice possibly for speech in the afterlife
- Papyrus fragment found with text from Homer's Iliad Book II ('Catalogue of Ships')
- Additional artifacts: gold-leaf heart amulet, terracotta and bronze figurines of Harpocrates and Cupid, painted wooden coffins, stone sarcophagi
- Excavations since 1992; site discovered by Dominique Vivant Denon (1747–1825)
- Findings show syncretism during Ptolemaic (305–30 BCE) and Roman (30 BCE–641 CE) periods
Entities
Artists
- Maite Mascort i Roca
- Esther Pons Mellado
- Dominique Vivant Denon
- Hicham El-Leithy
Institutions
- Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Egypt)
- University of Barcelona
- Supreme Council of Antiquities (Egypt)
- Connaissance des Arts
Locations
- el-Bahnasa
- Oxyrhynchos
- Minya Governorate
- Egypt
- Cairo
- Alexandria
- Quesna
- Barcelona
- Spain