Al Bahnasa has Ptolemaic and Roman tombs.

During excavations in the Egyptian province of Minya, archaeologists discovered several high-status Ptolemaic and Roman graves.

According to a press release released by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, excavations in the Upper Cemetery of El-Bahnasa were carried out by the University of Barcelona in collaboration with the Ancient Near East Institute.

The tombs are carved straight into the bedrock and date from the Ptolemaic and Roman eras, providing a unique view into the cemetery's ongoing heritage of burial rituals and ritualistic modifications.

Image Credit : Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

Coffins, mummies, gilded funerary masks, and a great number of terracotta figurines of Isis-Aphrodite wearing a wreath topped with a crown may be found within the tombs.

Isis-Aphrodite is an aspect of the beloved goddess Isis that emphasizes the fertility elements associated with Aphrodite. She was associated with marriage and childbearing, which corresponded to ancient pharaonic models, and she also incorporated rebirth concepts.

Mummies from the Roman period wearing gilded and painted funerary masks were also discovered during the excavations. Two of the mummies were discovered with gold tongues in their mouths, a method meant to ensure that the dead could communicate in the hereafter and speak before the court of the Ancient Egyptian god, Osiris.

Archaeologists have discovered comparable burial methods throughout Egypt, including in February 2021 at the Taposiris Magna temple in Alexandria and in December 2021 at the Oxyrhynchus archeological site near the modern-day town of El Bahnasa.

Image Credit : Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

According to D. Hassan Amer, the crew also discovered a number of stone blocks painted with plant drawings, grape clusters, and pictures of animals and birds like as pigeons and cobras.