An Egyptian-Dominican archaeological mission has discovered mummies with golden tongues near Alexandria, dating back around 2,000 years, Egyptian authorities said on Wednesday.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
"The mission made the discovery of sixteen tombs cut in rock... in the temple of Taposiris Magna, west of Alexandria," in the north of Egypt, Cairo's Antiquities Ministry explained in a press release, specifying that the technique used was widespread in Greek and Roman times.
These tombs contained several mummies "in poor condition" but comprising "amulets wrapped in gold leaf in the shape of a tongue," it said.
Crafted out of gold foil, the tongue-shaped amulet was likely placed in the deceased's mouth to ensure they'd be able to speak in the afterlife, the ministry said.
Egypt's Al-Masry Al-Youm daily said that researchers at the Alexandria National Museum are now studying the find, as well as eight golden flakes representing the leaves of a wreath.
Mission director Kathleen Martinez was cited by French news agency AFP as sayign the two mummies have in particular caught the attention of scientists. The first mummy has "preserved strips and parts of the cardboard - layers of glued, stuccoed and painted linen fabric which envelop the mummy - adorned with gilding with the effigy of Osiris", the god of the dead.
And the second wore a "crown adorned with horns and a cobra on the forehead as well as a necklace with a pendant in the shape of a falcon's head", representing the pharaonic god Horus, son of Isis and Osiris.
According to AFP, the mission unearthed a female funeral mask, a gold diadem, eight marble masks with sculpted details, Khaled Abu al-Hamd, director of Antiquities of Alexandria, siad in a statement.
The mission has been excavating for several years west of Alexandria in an attempt to find the tomb of the legendary Queen Cleopatra.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
