Cairo, 21 December: Archaeologists in Egypt have uncovered 13 ancient mummies with golden tongues and fingernails in a cemetery near Oxyrhynchus, a site historically renowned for its papyrus finds. The discovery, made in Al-Bahnasa, Minya Governorate, includes burial shafts leading to chambers filled with artifacts and intricate wall paintings depicting Egyptian deities.
The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, in a statement, revealed that the mummies, dating back to the Ptolemaic period (304 BC–30 BC), were adorned with unique golden tongues. Gold, regarded by ancient Egyptians as “the flesh of the gods,” was placed in mummies’ mouths to ensure their ability to speak in the afterlife. Remarkably, golden fingernails—never documented before—accompanied the tongues, setting this find apart.
“This is the first discovery of its kind in the Al-Bahnasa region,” read the ministry’s release. The team excavated the artifacts at the bottom of a burial shaft, leading to a hall with three chambers containing the mummies and numerous ritual objects.
The find also included 29 golden amulets, some shaped as scarabs—symbols of rebirth and protection in ancient Egypt. Alongside these, vivid wall paintings of deities such as Nut, the sky goddess surrounded by stars, were found.
“The quality of the paintings is truly outstanding, with vibrant colors that remain incredibly fresh after thousands of years,” said Francesco Tiradritti, an Egyptologist at D’Annunzio University in Italy, though he was not part of the excavation.
The discoveries have prompted speculation about the identities of the deceased. Salima Ikram, a professor of Egyptology at the American University in Cairo, told Live Science that the bodies likely belonged to elite individuals linked to temple worship and animal cults flourishing in the Ptolemaic period. “The association with golden artifacts and intricate burial chambers suggests these were people of significant social and religious standing,” she remarked.
This find builds on a year of remarkable discoveries in Egypt. Earlier in 2024, a joint Egyptian-American archaeological team unearthed 11 sealed burials near South Asasif, close to the Temple of Hatshepsut in Luxor. The family tomb, believed to span the 12th and early 13th Dynasties, contained skeletons of men, women, and children, suggesting it was reused across generations.
The discovery at Oxyrhynchus not only sheds light on Ptolemaic burial customs but also highlights the ongoing richness of archaeological exploration in Egypt. Experts believe these finds contribute to a deeper understanding of ancient Egyptian beliefs surrounding the afterlife, divinity, and the social hierarchies of their civilization.