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.
