Why were two Egyptian mummies discovered with gold tongues? Here's the mystery behind it.

While excavation may seem dull with its tediousness, the excitement often comes when unusual artifacts, like golden-tongued mummies, are found, offering a glimpse into ancient burial practices.

Ancient Egyptians perfected their funerary customs for millennia, ensuring that the bodies of their elite were well-preserved for the afterlife. As their civilization expanded, so did the elaborate stories surrounding their rituals and the journey to the beyond.

The mummification process was lengthy, taking around 70 days, and required priests with expert knowledge of human anatomy. This process was expensive, which is why the wealthy and royal figures of ancient Egypt were mummified, often surrounded by treasures, mummified animals, and sometimes servants, with their tongues wrapped in gold foil.

In January 2021, the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities reported that two of the 16 mummies found at the Temple of Taposiris Magna, being excavated near Alexandria, had gold foil tongues. The Ministry explained that this ritual was performed by priests to ensure the deceased's ability to speak in the afterlife, especially to Osiris, the god of the dead.

Gold held immense value in ancient Egypt, just as it does today. Golden tongues have been discovered in Egyptian mummies before, though the reason why some mummies received this precious addition remains unclear. The practice is mentioned in the Book of the Dead, which describes how gold foil on the tongue allowed the deceased to breathe, eat, and speak in the afterlife.

The mummies unearthed at Taposiris Magna were in poor condition, yet they were buried with treasures, including coins bearing the image of Cleopatra. This suggests that the mummies date back roughly 2,000 years to the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt. The team involved in this excavation has been searching for Cleopatra's tomb, which some believe is submerged in the Alexandria harbor.