Egyptian mummy buried with The Iliad

Archaeologists from the University of Barcelona have found papyrus fragments of the literary work "The Iliad" at Oxyrhynchus, Egypt, 190 kilometers south of Cairo.

It is the first time a Greek literary work has been found with a mummy from the Roman era, reports The New York Times, among others. Previously, religious texts or writings with magical content had been found.

The fact that the mummy, a non-royal man, was buried with the "Iliad", which contains lines about the Greek fleet, among other things, may have served as a guarantee of higher status and a smoother journey in the afterlife, the researchers believe.

The "Iliad" is considered by many to be the first literary work in Europe.