In Photos: Human remains with golden tongues unearthed in archaeological site in southern Egypt

Nevine El-Aref , Sunday 5 Dec 2021

Archaeologists have unearthed two Saite tombs with human remains with golden tongues at El-Bahnasa archaeological site in the Upper Egypt governorate of Minya, the Tourism and Antiquities Ministry said on Sunday.

The discovery was made during excavation work carried out by a Spanish archaeological mission from Barcelona University and IPOA, the ministry added in a statement.

At the entrance of the first tomb the mission unearthed two human remains with golden tongues, and inside the tomb a large limestone sarcophagus has been located with woman shaped lid. Early studies revealed that the tomb was previously opened during ancient time and plundered.

The second tomb, located adjacent to the first, is intact and completely sealed, said Hassan Amer, Professor of Greco-Roman department at the Faculty of Archaeology, Cairo University and the mission's excavation director.

It houses a limestone sarcophagus with a man shaped lid, two niches contain Canopic Jars as well as a collection of 402 green faience Ushabti figurines, amulets and beads.

Excavations will continue to uncover more secrets inside these tombs along with studies to know more about the golden tongues.

The mission has been working in El-Bahnasa area since 1992, led by Maite Mascort and Esther Pons Melado. Over these years several artefacts were found, including a collection of Saite, Greco-Roman and Coptic eras.

El-Bahnasa was the capital of the 19th nome of the Upper Egyptian nomes, and is renowned for its Papyri with writings in Greek language, which are published in a number of volumes in Oxford. It had a wide fame in the Coptic and Islamic periods.