Archaeologists have made a stunning discovery inside a 1,600-year-old Egyptian mummy — a fragment of Homer's Iliad.
The papyrus was found tucked inside the gut of a mummy unearthed in Tomb 65 at Oxyrhynchus, an ancient city located 118 miles south of Cairo.
The excavation was carried out between November and December 2025 by a team including researchers from the University of Barcelona and the Institute of Ancient Near East Studies.
This marks the first time a Greek literary text has been found incorporated into the mummification process.
Previous discoveries at Oxyrhynchus had turned up Greek papyri used in burials, but their contents were always magical or ritualistic in nature.
The fragment found within the mummy belongs to Book II of the Iliad, a section known as the Catalogue of Ships, which lists the Greek forces that sailed to Troy.
The Iliad, composed around 800 BC, is widely considered the cornerstone of Western literature and centers on the Trojan War and the fate of the warrior Achilles.
Researchers are still unsure why this particular literary passage was chosen for the embalming ritual.
The funerary complex also yielded other remarkable finds, including mummies adorned with gold tongues and fingernails, heart scarabs, and amulets depicting gods such as Horus, Thoth, and Isis.
#archaeohistories
From the ESPN report: Bill Polian was a vocal figure in the Hall of Fame deliberations involving Bill Belichick, with Spygate and Deflategate coming up among voters during discussions.
Per a voter who spoke anonymously, Polian — the former Bills and Colts GM and longtime Patriots rival — told some voters he believed Belichick should “wait a year” as penance for Spygate.
In late 2020 I made way to the old Capitol with Mark Brnovich for a public ceremony during the height of Covid. We were late, as he often was. Gov. Ducey was there as well as other state officials and the media.
Former Iowa men’s basketball head coach George Raveling passed away on Sept. 2. He was 88.
Sending our deepest condolences to the Raveling family 💛
🔗 https://t.co/9kXSoYzNme
Big day today: we’re launching prediction markets on @Underdog in partnership with @cryptocom.
From the start, our mission has been simple: make sports more fun for fans in America. Until now, Underdog’s mostly been about picking players. Our most requested feature — by far — has been teams.
Now, in one seamless, easy-to-use app, you can pick teams right alongside your favorite players. This is certainly our biggest launch yet.
🎆 Some fantastic reader photos of D.C.’s fireworks last night!
📸 Thanks to:
– Michael Coffman
– Russell Moy
– Angela N.
– Brian Paeth
👇 See more fireworks shots at https://t.co/7t7hz0K2HE