Homer iliad papyrus found inside egyptian mummy in rare discovery
Archaeologists have uncovered a fragment of Homer’s Iliad deliberately placed inside an ancient Egyptian mummy during embalming, marking the first known instance of a Greek literary text integrated into the mummification process. The discovery offers new insight into cultural exchange in Roman-era Egypt and the spread of Greek literature beyond traditional contexts.
The find was announced following excavations conducted between November and December 2025 at the Oxyrhynchus archaeological site, located about 190 kilometers جنوب of Cairo. The work, led by a team from the University of Barcelona, revealed a Roman-period mummy in Tomb 65 within Sector 22 of the Al Bahnasa necropolis. Researchers identified an unusual feature: a folded papyrus placed on the abdomen as part of the embalming ritual. After restoration, the text was confirmed as part of the “Catalogue of Ships” from Book II of the Iliad, a passage listing the Greek forces assembled before the Trojan War.
Scholars involved in the analysis determined that the manuscript had been reused. Greek papyri found in mummies from this period typically contain magical or ritual texts rather than literary works. In this case, the Iliad fragment appears to have been repurposed to inscribe funerary texts, reflecting a blending of literary material with traditional burial practices. The papyrus had been carefully folded and sealed with clay before being inserted into the body cavity, replacing the older use of canopic jars common in earlier Egyptian funerary customs.
The tomb, dated to around 1,600 years ago, also yielded other significant findings that shed light on burial traditions of the time. Several mummies were discovered, some placed in wooden coffins and others wrapped in bandages decorated with geometric patterns. Notably, three mummies were found with gold tongues placed in their mouths, while another had a copper tongue. Archaeologists interpret these objects as part of rituals linked to beliefs about communication in the afterlife, a practice documented in Greco-Roman Egypt.
Excavations at Oxyrhynchus have been ongoing since 1992 and the site remains one of the richest sources of ancient papyri. The inclusion of a classical Greek literary text within a funerary context raises new questions about the interaction between Greek and Egyptian traditions during the Roman period. Researchers say the discovery highlights the extent to which Greek literature circulated in Egypt and underscores the enduring cultural significance of Oxyrhynchus as a center of ancient knowledge.
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