At the site of the ancient city of Oxyrhynchus in present-day El Banas, Egypt, archaeologists from a Spanish-Egyptian expedition discovered a necropolis from the Roman era.
Mummies decorated with amulets in the shape of golden tongues were found there. A fragment of papyrus containing the text of Homer's "Iliad" was found in one of the mummies, Arkeonews reported.
Scientists have determined that the discovered fragment belongs to Book II of the "Iliad", known as the "Catalogue of Ships". It describes the Greek forces that sailed to Troy. The discovery of classical Greek literature in an Egyptian mummy is rarity.
Hisham El-Leiti, secretary-general of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, believes that this discovery shows that the elite of Oxyrhynchus were influenced by Greek culture and also actively interacted with its literary traditions.
The papyrus was placed in the mummy intentionally, according to the researchers. This choice probably connects literature with ideas about the afterlife or personal identity.
The archaeologists also found terracotta and bronze figurines. Among them are images of the god Harpocrates as a horseman and Cupid. These finds indicate Greco-Roman religious influence in the region.
The scientists also came across three burial chambers. They contained large ceramic vessels containing cremated human remains. This suggests a ritual that combined cremation with traditional burial customs.