Roman-Era Egyptian Mummy at Oxyrhynchus with Iliad Papyrus Placed on Body as Afterlife Charm – Unprecedented Discovery!

In a revelation announced April 2026 by the University of Barcelona’s Oxyrhynchus Archaeological Mission, archaeologists have recovered the first known fragment of Homer’s Iliad — specifically the iconic “Catalogue of Ships” from Book II — deliberately placed directly on the body of a Roman-period Egyptian mummy at the ancient city of Oxyrhynchus (modern Al Bahnasa).

The papyrus, dated to the Roman era (circa 1,600–2,000 years ago), was found sealed in a clay packet resting on the abdomen of a non-royal male mummy in Tomb 65, Sector 22. Unlike the dozens of ritual or magical papyri previously recovered from similar “embalmer’s packets,” this one contains literary text — a find without precedent in Egyptian funerary archaeology.

Led by Maite Mascort and Esther Pons, with classical philologist Ignasi-Xavier Adiego and papyrologist Leah Mascia, the team confirmed the fragment through direct reading: it lists Greek contingents and commanders preparing to sail against Troy. The papyrus, though fragmented and poorly preserved, is unmistakably Homeric.

“This is the first time a Greek literary text has been found used in a mummy burial,” Adiego told CNN. “It suggests that Homer’s epic was not merely entertainment but held profound ritual or protective significance in the afterlife for Greco-Roman Egyptians — functioning essentially as a literary amulet or charm to guide the deceased on their journey.”

The discovery, hailed by National Geographic and the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, bridges Greek literature and Egyptian funerary practice in a new way. It implies that educated elites or those influenced by Hellenistic culture may have viewed the Iliad as a sacred or apotropaic text worthy of accompanying the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ into eternity.

As conservation continues without damaging the fragile papyrus, the find promises deeper insights into cultural fusion in Roman Egypt. After nearly two millennia, the Catalogue of Ships has sailed into the afterlife — proving that Homer’s words were treasured as powerful protection even in death.