Iliad fragment found in Roman-era mummy
Archaeologists have made a truly 'un-bale-ievable' discovery, unearthing a fragment of Homer's Iliad from inside a Roman-era mummy's wrappings in Egypt. This fascinating find provides a literal archaeological 'wrap sheet' for classical literature, offering a direct link to ancient texts in an entirely unexpected context. Such a unique blend of history and discovery instantly captivated the Hacker News crowd, ever keen for tales that peel back layers of the past.
The Lowdown
In a discovery that sounds more like an Indiana Jones plot twist, archaeologists in Egypt have uncovered a papyrus fragment of Homer's epic The Iliad remarkably preserved within the wrappings of a Roman-era mummy. This extraordinary find, located in the ancient necropolis of Oxyrhynchus, provides a tangible link to classical literature, literally unearthed from the dust of antiquity.
- A joint Spanish-Egyptian team working in El-Bahnasa (ancient Oxyrhynchus) discovered a Roman-era mummy containing a papyrus fragment.
- The fragment was identified as a portion of the "Index of Ships" from Book 2 of The Iliad, detailing Greek forces arrayed against Troy.
- The excavation site yielded numerous other mummies, some in wooden coffins, others with distinct geometric patterns on their wrappings.
- Intriguing burial practices were observed, including several mummies with gold or copper tongues placed inside their mouths, and some adorned with traces of gold leaf.
- Further exploration in an older section of the cemetery revealed limestone burial chambers containing cremated human remains, an infant, and cloth-wrapped cat remains, alongside small terracotta and bronze statues of deities like Harpocrates and Cupid.
This suite of discoveries not only offers an unprecedented direct connection to ancient Greek literature through a mummy's shroud but also provides invaluable insights into the diverse burial traditions and cultural practices that flourished in Bahnasa during the Greek and Roman eras, enriching our understanding of this pivotal historical period.