The joint Egyptian-Spanish archaeological mission has revealed a series of unique discoveries from the Ptolemaic period in the archaeological region of Al-Bahnasa, in the Minya governorate of Egypt. This work, led by the University of Barcelona and the Institute of Ancient Near Eastern Studies, has uncovered tombs decorated with colorful inscriptions and ritual scenes, as well as extraordinary mummies and funerary objects.
Among the most notable findings are 13 tongues and golden nails associated with mummies from this period, a first in the Al-Bahnasa region. According to Dr. Mohamed Ismail Khaled, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities of Egypt, these pieces represent a significant advance in understanding the religious beliefs of Ptolemaic Egypt.
This discovery reinforces the historical value of Al-Bahnasa and provides us with a unique window into the cultural and spiritual practices of the time, emphasized Dr. Khaled.
The team, led on the Egyptian side by Dr. Hassan Ibrahim Amer, professor at the Faculty of Archaeology at Cairo University, also found a heart-scarab placed in its original position within a mummy, along with 29 amulets from the Dyed pillar and scarabs representing gods such as Horus, Thoth, and Isis. Some of these amulets combined the symbolism of multiple deities, an unusual finding in the region.
For her part, Dr. Ester Pons Milado, leader of the mission on the Spanish side, explained that one of the discovered tombs includes a rectangular well leading to a main room with three funerary chambers.
These chambers contained dozens of meticulously arranged mummies, suggesting that it was a collective burial space.
One of the discovered chambers is adorned with unique ritual scenes and texts. On one of its walls, the tomb owner, identified as “Wan-Nefer,” is depicted with his family offering offerings to deities such as Anubis, Osiris, Atum, and Horus.
The ceiling is decorated with the goddess Nut, surrounded by stars and sacred boats carrying deities like Khepri, Ra, and Atum, against a bright blue background.
The delicacy of the funerary work is evident in the presence of a thin layer of gold on the face of a mummy, depicted as if being embalmed by the god Anubis. This same golden finish is found on figures of the goddesses Isis and Nephthys.
Additionally, the mission highlighted that previous excavations had already identified tombs from the Saite, Greco-Roman, and Roman periods, as well as a Byzantine basilica and a temple dedicated to Osiris. Dr. Maite Mascort, co-director of the mission, stressed the importance of continuing work in the region, which continues to reveal highly valuable archaeological treasures.
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