Literary Papyrus Discovered on Roman-Era Egyptian Mummy at Oxyrhynchus

Archaeologists from the Oxyrhynchus Archaeological Mission uncovered a 1,600-year-old mummy in Tomb 65 of the Al Bahnasa necropolis (ancient Oxyrhynchus). The abdomen was wrapped with fragments of Greek papyrus bearing the “Catalogue of Ships” from Book II of Homer’s *Iliad*—the first known literary text used in an Egyptian funerary context.

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Oxyrhynchus, situated about 190 km south of Cairo, was a major Greco-Roman city from the 4th century BCE to the 7th century CE. Thousands of papyri have been recovered there, typically administrative, religious or magical. The discovery was led by Ignasi-Xavier Adiego (University of Barcelona) and involved papyrologist Leah Mascia (University of Hamburg). The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities co-coordinated the excavation.

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• Late 2025: Fieldwork uncovered three limestone tombs and multiple mummies.

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• Early 2026: The Iliad fragment was documented; preliminary conservation began.

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The mummy dates to the 1st–2nd century CE. Associated finds include at least 20 sealed papyrus packets, three gold-foil tongues, one copper-foil tongue, geometric-patterned bandages, a jar with cremated adult remains, infant bones and a feline skull.

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Scholars suggest the papyrus could have acted as a protective amulet, an embalmer’s signature, or an atypical offering. Its literary nature, contrasting with standard Egyptian funerary texts such as the *Book of the Dead*, challenges prevailing models of Greco-Roman mortuary practice and illustrates the intermingling of Greek and Egyptian cultural elements in the Greco-Roman period. The absence of other Iliad fragments in comparable burials underscores the find’s uniqueness.

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The University of Barcelona called the papyrus “the first instance of a Greek literary text incorporated into an Egyptian funerary context.” Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities emphasized the broader discovery of multiple mummies, gold-foil tongues and assorted artifacts, noting the site’s archaeological richness. The Oxyrhynchus Mission said the find expands the known diversity of papyrus packets placed on bodies.

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Researchers caution that analysis has relied on visual inspection; high-resolution X-ray imaging has not yet been applied, limiting text recovery. No other Iliad material has been reported from the site, leaving the fragment’s purpose unresolved. The limited imaging and the rarity of literary texts in burial contexts constitute major gaps.

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• “This is the big development for us,” — Ignasi-Xavier Adiego, University of Barcelona

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• “Until now, we didn’t know that they would have used literary texts as part of this funerary ritual,” — Ignasi-Xavier Adiego

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• “The archaeological context and associated objects clearly place these manuscripts within the traditional Egyptian funerary sphere,” — Leah Mascia, University of Hamburg

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• “In the Greco-Roman period, texts such as the Iliad circulated across all Egypt; they were used in educational settings, and copies were even owned by private citizens.” — Leah Mascia

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