Experts stunned after uncovering Homer's 'Iliad' on Egyptian mummy in unprecedented find

Archaeologists were stunned aft precocious discovering 1 of the top works of Western lit placed connected apical of a mummy successful Egypt.

The one-of-a-kind find was announced by the University of Barcelona successful an April 20 quality release.

Researchers from the schoolhouse uncovered a fragment of Homer's "Iliad" portion excavating a Roman-era tomb successful the Egyptian municipality of Al Bahnasa.

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The tomb is located successful the Al Bahnasa necropolis, erstwhile portion of past Oxyrhynchus, which schoolhouse officials said was "one of the astir important cities of Greco-Roman Egypt."

The University of Barcelona's Oxyrhynchus Archaeological Mission has excavated the necropolis since 1992. The Roman-era tomb and mummy day backmost astir 1,600 years.

Archaeologists successful Egypt uncovered a uncommon fragment of Homer's "Iliad" placed atop a Roman-era mummy during excavations astatine Al Bahnasa. (Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images; University of Barcelona)

The "Iliad," an epic poem that centers astir the Trojan War, is believed to person been composed astir the 8th period B.C., much than a millennium earlier the mummy was buried.

Led by University of Barcelona prof Núria Castellano, excavators recovered that the papyrus was "placed connected the abdomen [of the mummy] arsenic portion of the embalming ritual," the schoolhouse said successful a statement.

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"In erstwhile campaigns, the Oxyrhynchus Archaeological Mission had already documented papyri written successful Greek successful akin positions, but each contained magical oregon ritualistic content," the merchandise noted.

"A literate substance specified arsenic the ‘Iliad’ had ne'er earlier been recovered successful this context."

Experts said the fragment comes from Book II of the "Iliad" and references Greek forces preparing for the Trojan War. (Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/Getty Images)

The fragment comes from Book II of the "Iliad" and describes the Greek forces preparing for the Trojan War. The substance was identified by papyrologist Leah Mascia.

Ignasi-Xavier Adiego, a prof astatine the University of Barcelona, emphasized that antecedently recovered papyri had "mainly magical" content.

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"Since the precocious 19th century, a immense fig of papyri person been discovered astatine Oxyrhynchus, including Greek literate texts of large importance," helium said.

"But the existent novelty is uncovering a literate papyrus successful a funerary context."

"[I]t is the archetypal clip successful the past of archaeology that a Greek literate substance has been recovered deliberately incorporated into the mummification process."

During the excavation, archaeologists besides uncovered Roman-era mummies and decorated woody sarcophagi wrong 3 limestone burial chambers, with the schoolhouse noting harm from past looting.

But officials said the Homer fragment was the astir notable — and they emphasized its rarity.

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"The find is exceptional: It is the archetypal clip successful the past of archaeology that a Greek literate substance has been recovered deliberately incorporated into the mummification process," the schoolhouse noted.

Fox News Digital reached retired to Adiego and Mascia for further comment.

The discovered papyrus contains lines from the Iliad, the classical Greek epic chronicling the siege of Troy. (Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/Getty Images)

The find follows a drawstring of large archaeological finds successful Egypt successful caller months.

Last month, officials announced the find of a monolithic statue believed to picture the almighty pharaoh often linked to Exodus.

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Earlier this spring, archaeologists besides announced the find of 8 Egyptian papyrus scrolls alongside a cache of colorful coffins dating backmost much than 2,600 years.