Egyptian mummy unearthed with literary text on abdomen in first ever find

Key Points:

• Archaeologists in Oxyrhynchus, Egypt, discovered a 1,600-year-old mummy with a passage from Homer’s “Iliad” attached to its abdomen, marking the first known instance of a literary text used in embalming rituals.
• The text, identified as part of the catalogue of ships from Book II of the “Iliad,” was found on a fragmented papyrus and is believed to have a unique role in the funerary process, though its exact purpose remains unclear.
• Previous findings in the area involved papyri with ritualistic formulas, but the use of a literary text suggests a new dimension to embalming practices, possibly as an embalmer’s signature or protective element.
• The excavation also uncovered three limestone tombs with mummies, some featuring gold or copper foil on their tongues, and jars containing burned human and animal remains wrapped in fabric.
• Research on the papyrus is preliminary, with further analysis needed to understand the significance of the literary text and the social status of the individuals buried at the site.