Egyptologists dig up mummy and realise they’re reading The Iliad
The discovery at Oxyrhynchus marks the first time an ancient Greek text has been found in the mummification process
new
Two Roman-era mummies resting in stone coffins at the El-Bahnasa site in Minya, Egypt.
Two Roman-era mummies inside stone coffins at the Oxyrhynchus site in Egypt
Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
Katie Gatens, Barcelona
Saturday May 16 2026, 3.38pm BST, The Sunday Times
The Egyptian archaeological site of Oxyrhynchus, 120 miles south of Cairo, might not have the glamour and renown of the hallowed Valley of the Kings.
But a team from the University of Barcelona working at the site has made one of the most significant discoveries in decades.
A mummy from the late Roman period, about 1,600 years old, was discovered buried with a verse of Homer’s The Iliad, the original of which dates back 2,800 years. The text was found in clay with an embalmer’s seal on the outside of the mummy’s wrapping. It is the first time a Greek literary text has been found directly incorporated into the Egyptian mummification process.
Fragment of Homer’s Iliad papyrus discovered in Al Bahnasa, Egypt.
The fragments of Homer’s Iliad found inside the tomb
The discovery, at the ancient city of El-Bahnasa, started as a relatively unexceptional find, said Ignasi-Xavier Adiego, a professor at the University of Barcelona who directs the Oxyrhynchus project.
https://www.thetimes.com/world/africa/article/egyptologists-dig-up-mummy-and-realise-theyre-reading-the-iliad-5g09fx9rr
