Excavations of a famous Egyptian archaeological site, located in the north of the country, have led to the discovery of dozens of mummies with unusual attributes, as well as other precious artifacts.
Oxyrhynchus continues to reveal her secrets
Located about a hundred kilometers south of Cairo, the ancient city of Oxyrhynchus reached its peak during the Ptolemaic period (304 to 30 BCE), during which theEgypt was ruled by a dynasty of kings descended from one of Alexander the Great’s generals.
Over the years, numerous testimonies from this distant period have been discovered there, including several mummies equipped with golden tongues. It is believed that this precious metal, considered the “ flesh of the gods “, was placed in the oral cavity of certain deceased people to allow them to communicate with Osiris, king of the underworld, and thus facilitate their passage into the afterlife.
Recently, an international team of archaeologists carried out extensive excavations of several burial shafts. Their rooms were notably revealed to house limestone coffins as well as several mummified remains showing both a tongue and fingernails.or (to which the ancient Egyptians also attributed protective virtues).
According to Esther Pons Mellado of the University of Barcelona, although these are not the first known examples to exhibit this ” double characteristic “, such discoveries are rare.
Other important discoveries
The press release also mentions walls decorated with inscriptions and colorful illustrations, in many cases representing ritual scenes involving goddesses that have never before been observed in the Oxyrhynque region.
Other artifacts unearthed from the graves include several scarab-shaped amulets, symbols of rebirth generally placed at the heart of the deceased, as well as idols of deities such as Horus (god of the sky and royalty), Isis (protector of women and children) and Osiris.
Earlier this month, Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced the discovery of a bust of a mysterious queen and hundreds of artifacts near Alexandria.
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