Archaeologists working in the Taposiris Magna Temple in Egypt discovered 16 mummies, with one of them bearing an ornate golden tongue.
The Egyptian-Dominican archeological dig, led by Dr. Kathleen Martinez, discovered the mummies in burial shafts carved from the solid rock located at the site, according to a statement released by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.
Archaeologists reportedly believe the gold foil tongue was ritually placed in the mummy’s mouth to give him the ability to speak in the underworld ruled by the god Osiris. (RELATED: 1000-Year-Old Mummy Died Of Constipation After Grasshopper Diet, Scientists Say)
Dr. Kathleen Martinez believes the most important discovery has been the preserved scrolls and funeral mask of two mummies found in the dig, according to the statement. One of the mummies mentioned was found wearing a detailed crown adorned with a cobra and a pair of horns.
نجحت البعثة المصرية الدومينيكانية العاملة بمعبد تابوزيريس ماجنا بغرب الإسكندرية، في الكشف عن ١٦ دفنة في مقابر منحوتة
The Egyptian-Dominican mission, working at the Taposiris Magna Temple in western Alexandria, succeeded in discovering 16 burials in the rock-cut tombs pic.twitter.com/x6Yr7g1zo8— Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (@TourismandAntiq) January 29, 2021
“It is worth noting that during the last ten years the mission found an important group of archaeological finds that changed our perception of the Temple of Taposiris Magna,” the statement reads, explaining that coins found within the temple walls bear the image of the deceased Queen Cleopatra VI.
Dr. Khaled Abo El Hamd mentioned a female mummy’s ornate funeral mask showing a depiction of her face as it appeared hundreds of years ago. The mask, which along with eight others discovered, was allegedly created in the time of the Greek and Roman empires, according to the statement.
The temple was reportedly built by King Ptolemy IV.