Passage from Homer's Iliad discovered inside the abdomen of a Roman-era Egyptian mummy

"Researchers discovered the mummy at a funerary complex located south of Cairo, in Al Bahnasa, during an excavation in late 2025. Inside the mummy's abdomen was a sheet of papyrus containing text from the Iliad, specifically from Book II, which catalogs the Greek ships that came to battle Troy."

"The newly examined mummy's tomb dates to about 1,600 years ago. Previous excavations at the site revealed scrolls in other mummies, but none contained references to the Iliad, which was already considered a literary classic at that time."

"This is not the first time we have found Greek papyri, bundled, sealed, and incorporated into the mummification process, but until now, their content was mainly magical. The discovery of the Iliad text is significant and unique."

Researchers discovered a mummy in Al Bahnasa, Egypt, containing a papyrus with text from the Iliad. This mummy dates back approximately 1,600 years. Previous excavations at the site revealed scrolls in other mummies, but none referenced the Iliad. The Iliad was already a literary classic during this period. Greek papyri have been found in mummification processes before, but they typically contained magical or ritualistic content, making this discovery unique.

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