Golden Tongues and Homer's Iliad: Remarkable Greco-Roman Discovery in Al-Bahnasa, Egypt

Published in Greco-Roman Egyptology & Classical Archaeology • Sourced via excavation archives of the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

Archaeologists excavating Greco-Roman tombs at the ancient site of Oxyrhynchus (modern Al-Bahnasa, Minya Governorate, Egypt) have made a astonishing double discovery. Alongside mummies adorned with golden foil ritual tongues, researchers unearthed preserved papyrus scrolls containing verses from Homer’s Iliad—offering a stunning view into the blending of Pharaonic afterlife beliefs and Greek literary culture.

A gold foil tongue amulet placed inside a mummy's mouth to allow speech before Osiris in the underworld.

Why Place a Gold Tongue in a Mummy's Mouth?

During the Greco-Roman period, embalmers placed thin amulets of gold leaf shaped like tongues inside the mouths of the deceased. Ancient Egyptian priests believed this funerary ritual granted the deceased the spiritual ability to speak, defend their life choices, and recite magical spells before the court of Osiris during judgment in the afterlife.

The excavation revealed several rock-cut shaft tombs containing mummies dressed in gilded cartonnage masks and holding stone amulets, demonstrating the enduring power of Pharaonic mortuary traditions centuries after the end of native Egyptian dynasties.

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Unearthing Homer's Iliad in Egyptian Tombs

Equal in significance was the recovery of papyrus fragments deposited within the tomb chambers. Written in clear Greek script, epigraphers identified passages matching the "Catalogue of Ships" from Book 2 of Homer’s epic poem, the Iliad.

• Cultural Convergence: Proves that elite residents in provincial Roman Egypt were deeply educated in classical Greek literature.
• Homeric Popularity: Reinforces Oxyrhynchus as one of the world's primary sources for ancient classical manuscripts.
• Intact Artifacts: Accompanied by terracotta statues of Harpocrates, bronze coins, and intact funerary glassware.

The Legacy of Ancient Oxyrhynchus

Al-Bahnasa stands atop the ancient city of Oxyrhynchus, famous worldwide for yielding hundreds of thousands of papyri fragments over the past century. Finds like these show that the site continues to hold vast untold stories of the ancient Mediterranean world.

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A Masterpiece of Hybrid Tradition

The coexistence of Pharaonic gold tongue amulets and Greek epic poetry in the same tombs highlights the rich cultural tapestry of Egypt under Roman rule, where ancient traditions adapted and flourished in a multicultural society.

What Do You Think?

What intrigues you more: the ritual gold tongues placed for afterlife judgment or finding Homer's poetry buried in Egyptian tombs? Share your thoughts below!