At the heart of Egypt’s historical heritage, the joint team of the University of Barcelona and the Institute of the Ancient Near East recently made a major discovery in the archaeological region of Bahnasa, located in the Minya governorate. A series of tombs dating back to the Ptolemaic period were unearthed, revealing an exceptional treasure trove of mummies, skeletons, coffins and other unique artifacts.
The Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Mohamed Ismail Khaled, enthusiastically announced that this was the first discovery of human remains in the Bahnasa region. Among these precious finds are 13 golden Greek tongues as well as golden human fingernails from the Ptolemaic mummies. These unprecedented discoveries, accompanied by texts and representations of an ancient Egyptian figure never before observed at Bahnasa, shed new light on the religious practices of the Ptolemaic period.
Professor of the Faculty of Archaeology at Cairo University and director of the excavations at the site, Hassan Ibrahim Amer, reported the discovery of a heart scarab in the usual place inside a mummy, as well as the discovery of 29 Djed column amulets, two scarabs dedicated to the deities Horus, Thoth and Isis, and amulets representing these three deities together. These artifacts testify to the cultural and religious richness of the Ptolemaic period.
For her part, Esther Pons Mellado, head of the Spanish mission, stressed that the excavations revealed a rectangular burial chamber leading to a Ptolemaic cemetery. This main hall opens onto three rooms containing dozens of mummies lined up side by side, suggesting that they were used as a mass grave.
This exceptional discovery represents a significant contribution to the history of the region and sheds light on the funerary and religious practices of the Ptolemaic period. It opens up new avenues for research and study on this fascinating period of ancient Egypt.