Archaeologists opened ancient Egyptian tombs by the sea and found a sealed granite coffin and 24 gold tongues

Archaeologists have uncovered 18 ancient Egyptian tombs near the Mediterranean coast, discovering 24 gold tongues among the funerary objects buried with the dead. The find at Marina el-Alamein offers a new look at burial customs during a time when Egyptian, Greek, and Roman traditions mixed together.

The tombs were found in the ancient town of Marina el-Alamein, about 60 miles (100 kilometers) west of Alexandria. The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said the burials date back to either the Ptolemaic period (322 to 30 B.C.) or the Roman period (30 B.C. to A.D. 395).

Secrets Unearthed in Ancient Tombs

As mentioned in a translated statement, published by The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the excavation uncovered different types of tombs. Eleven were cut deep into the ground, while seven others were built closer to the surface.

Inside the burial chambers, archaeologists found several objects linked to ancient Egyptian funerary practices, including human remains, an offering altar, and a large granite coffin. At least two skeletons were discovered, although researchers still do not know whether those individuals had been mummified.

One of the tombs contained a granite coffin measuring 8.2 feet (2.5 meters) long, with its lid still closed when it was found. The remains inside are now being examined.

The discoveries add to previous work carried out at Marina el-Alamein, a site that has shown how different cultures lived side by side in ancient Egypt.

Ancient Gold Tongues Held a Secret Purpose

The most eye-catching discovery was the collection of 24 gold tongues, which were probably placed inside the mouths of mummies. Ancient Egyptians believed gold was the flesh of the gods and that gold tongues could help the deceased communicate in the afterlife. The objects were especially linked to the moment when the dead faced judgment before Osiris, the god of the underworld.

Hesham Hussein, an archaeology official at the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, said that:

One of the newly found pieces appears to show the Eye of Horus, a symbol often associated with protection in ancient Egypt.

Not every artifact has been identified with certainty. Archaeologist Attilio Mastrocinque, formerly of the University of Verona, pointed out that one object shown in images released by the ministry could look like a wheat ear rather than a gold tongue. Wheat symbols were connected with fertility and were also common in the ancient Greek and Roman world.

Ancient Statue Shows Egyptian-Greek Fusion

Among the other discoveries was an offering altar with a base that looks similar to an Egyptian false door. These symbolic doors were common in tombs and were believed to connect the worlds of the living and the dead.

Other archaeologists remain cautious about the interpretation. Krzysztof Jakubiak from the University of Warsaw, who previously worked at Marina el-Alamein, stated that the altar needs more study before it can be directly compared with traditional false doors. He suggested the object may simply be unfinished.

The excavation also uncovered an incomplete statue of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty. The discovery reflects the influence of Greek culture in Egypt during the Ptolemaic period.

Dorota Dzierzbicka, director of the Polish-Egyptian Archaeological Mission at Marina el-Alamein, stated in a press release from the Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology that the discoveries indicate the town was a culturally diverse community, where Egyptian and Graeco-Roman traditions merged in both daily life and burial practices.