Ancient Greek Poem and Protective Spells Found in 1,700-Year-Old Egyptian Tomb

Archaeologists excavating in Egypt’s Dakhla Oasis have unearthed a limestone tomb dating back approximately 1,700 years, distinguished by a rare poem inscribed in ancient Greek. The structure, which features a pyramid-shaped roof, was constructed during the fourth century, a period when the Roman Empire held control over the region.

The burial site was built for a married couple identified as Pisechtes, who may have served as a judge, and his wife. According to a translated statement from the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, a stone plaque within the tomb bears a 19-line epigram. Experts describe the text as a son’s lament for his father, utilizing literary styles comparable to Homer’s epics.

Angelos Chaniotis, a researcher at the Institute for Advanced Study in New Jersey who was not part of the excavation team, noted that the poem praises Pisechtes for his kindness and wisdom, referring to him as an “advisor in life.” In the concluding lines, Pisechtes’ son, Sarapion, addresses his father directly: “Listen, father!” and requests that he accept the funerary libations and offerings from his grieving children.

Chaniotis highlighted that the use of diacritical marks, such as accents, within the inscription indicates a high level of education on the part of the author. The tomb entrance is adorned with 14 steps and decorated with imagery including a winged sun disk, the god Osiris, and two cobras. Additionally, hieroglyphic inscriptions near the entrance contain spells intended to protect the deceased, with some referencing the “Amduat,” a text detailing the sun god’s journey through the underworld.

Among the artifacts recovered from the site were an offering table, a purification basin, pottery, and at least one coin depicting the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great, who reigned from A.D. 306 to 337. Despite Constantine’s historical association with the legalization and conversion to Christianity, the tomb contains no Christian symbols or texts.

The ministry’s statement suggests the tomb may have been reused at a later date, as a mud-brick shrine situated above the entrance likely dates to a period after Pisechtes and his wife were interred. No human remains have been reported at the site as of yet.