Archaeologists unearth mummy with Iliad passage on its abdomen
Updated
Updated · CNN · Apr 30
Archaeologists unearth mummy with Iliad passage on its abdomen
7 articles · Updated · CNN · Apr 30
The roughly 1,600-year-old Roman-era mummy was found at Oxyrhynchus, modern Al Bahnasa, about 200km south of Cairo, by a University of Barcelona-led team.
Researchers say it is the first known case of a literary text used in embalming; the damaged papyrus appears to contain the catalogue of ships from Book II.
Its purpose remains unclear, though other papyri at the site seem ritualistic. The excavation also uncovered three limestone tombs, several mummies and unusual cremated human and animal remains.
Could advanced imaging of the papyrus reveal hidden texts or rewrite our understanding of Roman-Egyptian burial traditions?
Why would a passage from Homer’s Iliad be chosen for a mummy’s burial, and does this suggest a secret role for literature in ancient funerary rites?