The discovery was made by an Egyptian-Spanish archaeological mission affiliated with the University of Barcelona, led by Maite Mascort Roca and Esther Pons Mellado.
The team uncovered a Roman-era tomb containing several mummies, some wrapped in linen decorated with geometric patterns, alongside wooden coffins and a set of unusual burial elements, including three golden tongues and one copper tongue.
Archaeologists also identified traces of gold leaf applied to some of the mummies, suggesting elaborate funerary preparations and beliefs linked to the afterlife during that period.
Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy said the discovery adds to a growing list of important finds in Minya, highlighting the historical richness of the region and the diversity of Egypt’s civilization across different eras.
The find is particularly significant for what it reveals about burial traditions in Al-Bahnasa, an important ancient city known for its layered cultural history.
According to Hisham El-Leithy, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, the excavation has provided new evidence of funerary practices during the Greek and Roman periods.
Field Director Hassan Ibrahim Amer explained that one of the most remarkable discoveries is a rare papyrus found inside one of the mummies, containing a passage from Book II of Homer’s Iliad, specifically the section known as the Catalogue of Ships, which describes the Greek forces that took part in the Trojan War. Experts say the find adds a unique literary dimension to the archaeological significance of the site.
Further excavations east of a previously discovered Ptolemaic tomb have revealed a trench with three limestone-built chambers, though only partial remains have survived. Inside one chamber, archaeologists found a large jar containing the cremated remains of an adult, along with the bones of an infant and the head of a feline animal, all wrapped in a textile. Another chamber contained a similar jar holding the remains of two individuals, along with additional animal bones.
Additional artefacts discovered south of the site include small terracotta and bronze figurines, among them representations of the god Harpocrates depicted as a horseman, as well as a small figure of Cupid, reflecting a blend of Egyptian and Greco-Roman artistic influences.
Excavations at another nearby tomb also uncovered more Roman mummies, along with painted wooden coffins housed inside an underground burial chamber, or hypogeum, many of which show signs of deterioration due to ancient looting.
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