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Image Credit: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
Roman Necropolis and Rare Iliad Papyrus Discovered at Oxyrhynchus
A Spanish archaeological mission working at Oxyrhynchus (El-Bahnasa) in Egypt’s Minya Governorate has uncovered a Roman-period burial complex, revealing new details about funerary practices during the transition from the Ptolemaic to the Roman period.
The excavation produced several mummies dating to the Roman era, some wrapped in linen bandages decorated with geometric motifs, alongside wooden sarcophagi. The team also recovered three gold tongue amulets and one made of copper, as well as evidence of gold leaf applied to certain mummies.
Fieldwork carried out east of Ptolemaic Tomb No. 67 exposed a trench containing three limestone-built chambers, now largely preserved only in fragments. Within these spaces, archaeologists documented burial vessels containing cremated remains of adults and an infant, accompanied by feline bones and wrapped in textile fragments. A comparable arrangement in a second chamber indicates a repeated burial pattern within the complex.
In the southern sector of the excavation, the mission uncovered a group of terracotta and bronze figurines, including representations of Harpocrates depicted as a rider and a small statue of Cupid, reflecting the cultural environment of the period.
Further excavation inside an underground tomb (Hypogeum No. 65) revealed additional Roman-period mummies and wooden sarcophagi, many of which show clear signs of ancient looting despite retaining traces of their original decoration.
A particularly significant discovery is a rare papyrus found within one of the mummies, containing a passage from Book II of Homer’s Iliad, known as the (Catalog of Ships), which lists the Greek forces involved in the Trojan War.
According to officials, the findings provide valuable insight into burial traditions at Oxyrhynchus during the Greek and Roman periods, while also highlighting the importance of the site within the broader archaeological landscape of Middle Egypt.
Published on: 19-04-2026
Edited by: Abdulmnam Samakie
