Fragments of Homer’s <em>Iliad</em> Found Buried with Roman-Era Mummy
Fragments of Homer's Iliad have been discovered on a mummy in Al Bahnasa, Egypt. This finding is notable as it is the first known literary text found in a funerary context, contrasting with the typical ritualistic texts. The discovery was made by researchers from the University of Barcelona's Oxyrhynchus Archeological Mission.
- ▪The Iliad fragments were found on a mummy buried in Tomb 65 of Sector 22 in Al Bahnasa.
- ▪The papyrus contained a section from Book II of the Iliad, known as the 'Catalogue of Ships.'
- ▪Archaeologists discovered at least 20 sealed papyri placed on the bodies, which included a variety of texts beyond traditional funerary compositions.
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Few stories have been quite as successful as Homer’s Iliad. The 3,000 (or so) year old epic has inspired and entertained readers for millennia. A case in point: fragments of the text were recently discovered on top of a mummy buried in the town of Al Bahnasa, Egypt, 118 miles (190 kilometers) south of Cairo.This is not the first time papyri containing ancient Greek text have been found on top of Egyptian mummies, but they tend to be ritualistic or magical in nature. The Iliad appears to be the first known literary text used in this context.The discovery was made by researchers involved in the Oxyrhynchus Archeological Mission led by the University of Barcelona Institute of Ancient Near East Studies (IPOA) in Spain.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Discover Magazine.
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