Unique Discovery in Egypt: Fragments of the Iliad Found on a Mummy
Archaeologists were recently taken aback by an extraordinary find—fragments of one of Western literature’s greatest masterpieces, Homer’s Iliad, situated atop a mummy in Egypt. The University of Barcelona shared this striking announcement in an April 20 release.
The researchers unearthed these fragments while excavating a Roman tomb in Al-Banasa, an area that was once part of the renowned ancient city of Oxyrhynchus, known for its significance in Greco-Roman Egypt.
Since 1992, the Oxyrhynchus Archaeological Mission from the University of Barcelona has been exploring this necropolis, where tombs and mummies date back around 1,600 years.
The Iliad, an epic poem that delves into the Trojan War, is believed to have been written in roughly the 8th century BC, which is more than a millennium before the mummies were interred.
The excavation team, directed by Professor Nuria Castellano, found that the papyrus had been “placed in the abdomen” of the mummy, serving as part of an embalming ritual, according to the university. In past digs, they’ve recorded Greek-written papyri in similar sites, predominantly containing magical or ritualistic content. This context, however, is a first for literary texts like the Iliad.
The particular fragment discovered is from Book 2 of the Iliad, detailing the preparations of the Greek army for the Trojan War, and it was identified by the papyrus expert Lia Macia.
Professor Ignasi-Xavier Addiego from the University of Barcelona highlighted the fact that most of the papyri found earlier were primarily magical. “A substantial number of significant Greek literary texts have been uncovered at Oxyrhynchus since the 19th century. Still, finding literary papyri in a funerary setting is genuinely groundbreaking,” he remarked.
“This is the first instance in archaeological history where a Greek literary text has been intentionally included in the mummification process.”
Additionally, during their excavations, archaeologists stumbled upon other Roman mummies and ornately designed wooden sarcophagi in burial chambers marred by prior looting. Yet, they noted that the Homer fragment stands out as the most significant due to its rarity.
The university emphasized the uniqueness of the discovery, stating that it’s unprecedented for Greek literary texts to be purposefully woven into the mummification tradition.
This remarkable discovery adds to a series of significant archaeological finds in Egypt recently. Just last month, officials unveiled a colossal statue thought to represent a formidable pharaoh linked to the Book of Exodus. Earlier during spring, they reported the unearthing of eight ancient Egyptian papyrus scrolls alongside a collection of vivid coffins, dating back over 2,600 years.
