Rare Roman-Era Tomb and Homer’s Iliad Papyrus Discovered in Minya

Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has announced a significant archaeological discovery at the historic site of El-Bahnasa in Minya, shedding new light on funerary practices during the Greek and Roman periods in Egypt.

The discovery was made by a Spanish archaeological mission from the University of Barcelona and the Institute of the Ancient Near East, led by archaeologists Maite Mascort and Esther Pons Mellado. Excavations uncovered a rare Roman-era tomb containing several mummies, some wrapped in intricately decorated linen featuring geometric motifs. Alongside the mummies, researchers found wooden coffins, three golden tongues and one copper tongue—ritual objects believed to have been placed in the mouths of the deceased to ensure their ability to speak in the afterlife. Traces of gold leaf applied to certain mummies further underscore the wealth and ceremonial significance of the burial site.

Sherif Fathy, Egypt’s Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, praised the find as a valuable addition to Minya’s growing record of important archaeological discoveries, emphasizing that it reflects the country’s rich cultural diversity across different historical eras. Hisham El-Leithy, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, noted that the mission also recovered a rare papyrus fragment from inside one of the mummies, containing a passage from Book Two of Homer’s Iliad—specifically the Catalogue of Ships—adding a remarkable literary dimension to the findings and highlighting the enduring influence of Hellenic culture in Roman-era Egypt.

Excavations east of Ptolemaic Tomb No. 67 revealed a trench with three partially preserved limestone chambers. In one chamber, archaeologists uncovered a stone slab and a jar containing cremated remains of an adult, an infant’s bones, and the head of a feline, all wrapped in textiles. Another chamber held a jar with the cremated remains of two individuals and animal bones of the same species, suggesting possible familial or ritual burial practices. These findings point to complex funerary customs that blended Egyptian, Greco-Roman, and possibly Near Eastern traditions.

To the south of the main excavation zone, terracotta and bronze figurines were unearthed, including depictions of Harpocrates portrayed as a horseman and a small statue of Cupid—both figures associated with Hellenistic and Roman religious iconography. Meanwhile, work in Tomb No. 65 revealed additional golden and copper tongues, Roman-period mummies, and painted wooden coffins located within a hypogeum. However, this tomb showed clear signs of ancient looting, indicating that its contents had been disturbed in antiquity.

Professor Hassan Amer of Cairo University emphasized that these discoveries reinforce El-Bahnasa’s status as a key archaeological site, continuing to reveal Egypt’s layered and multicultural past. He noted that the site’s ongoing excavations provide critical insights into how different cultures interacted and influenced one another over centuries, particularly during the Ptolemaic and Roman periods when Egypt was a crossroads of Mediterranean civilizations.