University of Barcelona researchers examining the remains of an ancient Egyptian mummy have reported the discovery of a papyrus fragment from Homer’s Iliad detailing naval preparations for the Trojan War, which was ritually placed on the mummy’s abdomen as an intentional part of the embalming process.
The Oxyrhynchus Archaeological Mission research team behind the discovery, which operates within the University’s Institute of Ancient Near East Studies (IPOA), said the approximately 1,600-year-old literary fragment, discovered inside a Roman funerary tomb, is the first known example of an ancient Greek text incorporated into the mummification process of an Egyptian.
“Finds of Exceptional Historical Significance” Include the Iliad on an Egyptian Mummy
According to a statement announcing the unexpected discovery, the UB’s Oxyrhynchus Archaeological Mission is led by Professor Josep Padró. Launched in 1992, the organization is described by the research team as “one of the Spanish archaeological missions with the longest and most consistent track record in Egypt.”
The most recent campaign ran from November 2025 to February 2026. The discovery of the Iliad fragment was made at the site’s Al Bahnasa necropolis, which the team noted is “identified” with the ancient city Oxyrhynchus. The team said this site, located about 190 kilometers south of Cairo, near the branch of the Nile known as Bahr Yussef, is significant because it was “one of the most important cities of Greco-Roman Egypt.”
The team said this series of excavations yielded “finds of exceptional historical and archaeological significance,” including the papyrus segment.
The team’s work also uncovered a funerary complex with three limestone chambers containing Roman-era mummies and decorated wooden sarcophagi. Unfortunately, the team found many of the ancient artifacts in a state of disrepair “due to past looting.”
Papyrus Depicts Greek Ship Counts Before the Famous Battle of Troy
During the excavation of an Egyptian mummy found in Tomb 65 of Sector 22, the team said they had discovered a papyrus fragment they couldn’t immediately identify. Adding to the mystery was the fact that the fragment of ancient paper was placed on the abdomen “as part of the embalming ritual,” instead of being buried alongside the deceased.
At the beginning of 2026, the mysterious papyrus segment was analyzed by conservator Margalida Munar, papyrologist Leah Mascia, and Ignasi-Xavier Adiego. The latter is a professor at the Department of Classical, Romance and Semitic Languages, a classical philologist, and director of the Oxyrhynchus project.
After detailed analysis, the team determined that the papyrus fragment was part of the catalog of ships in Book II of Homer’s Iliad. The researchers noted that this ‘famous’ passage is significant for listing Greece’s forces before the battle of Troy, “one of the most iconic texts in Western literature.”
The passage entombed with the ancient Egyptian mummy lists ships that came to battle the Trojans after Paris, the son of the King of Troy, had taken Helen, the queen of Sparta and daughter of Zeus.
Finding a Literary Papyrus in a Funerary Context is the “Real Novelty”
Although finding an ancient Greek literary text inside an Egyptian mummy buried in a Roman-era tomb may sound impossible, the Iliad was already well known at the time. Rome ruled Egypt from 30 B.C.E. to roughly 640 C.E., so the cross-over between the cultures was more prevalent than one might expect. Still, the team said this is the first example of an ancient text of this kind appearing in an Egyptian burial ritual.
Professor Adiego said that this is not the first time researchers have discovered Greek papyri “bundled, sealed, and incorporated into the mummification process.” However, the researcher noted that, before this discovery, texts found buried with Egyptian mummies had content that was “mainly magical.”
“Furthermore,” the professor added, “it is worth noting that, since the late 19th century, a huge number of papyri have been discovered at Oxyrhynchus, including Greek literary texts of great importance, but the real novelty is finding a literary papyrus in a funerary context.”
The findings from the latest campaign are being presented to the public in a series of lectures that began on 13 April and will conclude on 11 May 2026 at 6.30 p.m. in the Gabriel Oliver room at the UB’s Faculty of Philology and Communication.
Christopher Plain is a Science Fiction and Fantasy novelist and Head Science Writer at The Debrief. Follow and connect with him on X, learn about his books at plainfiction.com, or email him directly at christopher@thedebrief.org.