Homer's Epic Found in Egyptian Mummy's Abdomen for the First Time, Rewriting Ancient Funerary History

(CNA, London, 21st, Comprehensive Foreign Dispatch) The UK's "The Independent" reports that archaeologists have discovered a papyrus copy of Homer's epic "Iliad" in the abdomen of an ancient Egyptian mummy, marking the first time in history a Greek literary text has been found incorporated into the body preservation process.

This discovery holds significant meaning for understanding the funerary customs and religious life of ancient Egypt.

The papyrus fragment was found inside the abdomen of a mummy in a Roman-era tomb dating back about 1,600 years in Oxyrhynchus.

Oxyrhynchus was one of the most important cities in Greco-Roman Egypt. The ruins are located in the modern town of Al-Bahnasa, about 190 kilometers south of Cairo, adjacent to the Bahr Yussef, a branch of the Nile River.

Researchers from the Ancient Near East Institute at the University of Barcelona discovered the mummy during a recent archaeological excavation conducted between November and December 2025.

They found that this mummy had an unusual feature: a piece of papyrus was placed in its abdomen as part of the embalming ritual.

While Egyptian mummies from this period have previously been found with papyri written in Greek, the content of those texts was always of a magical or ritualistic nature.

Researchers pointed out that the discovery of this "Iliad" papyrus marks the first time a Greek literary text has been found in the context of embalming.

According to the researchers, the "Iliad" text identified in this excavation belongs to the "catalogue of ships" in the second book of the epic.

It contains a famous passage listing the Greek army gathered before the city of Troy.

Researchers stated they are unsure why this specific Greek text was chosen during the mummification process.

Mummy-making in Roman-era Oxyrhynchus combined traditional Egyptian, Greek, and Roman customs.

Ancient Egyptian priests at the time dedicated over 40 days to preserving the body, using natron to dehydrate it and wrapping it in linen.

Instead of using traditional canopic jars to preserve organs, they tended to pack preservation materials along with papyri featuring Greek literature into the body, sealing it inside the chest or pelvic cavity with clay.

Coffins and shrouds often displayed patterns mixing Egyptian and Roman styles.

So far, excavations at Oxyrhynchus have uncovered three limestone burial chambers containing Roman-era mummies and ornately decorated wooden coffins. (Translated by: Li Pei-shan) 1150422

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