Listen, Father.. A Sad Son's Message from a 1700-Year-Old Egyptian Tomb

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An archaeological mission in Egypt recently revealed a limestone tomb dating back approximately 1,700 years in the Dakhla Oasis, which contains a rare 19-line poem in ancient Greek, likely written by a son in mourning for his father, along with hieroglyphic inscriptions of spells designed to protect the deceased.

The tomb, which has a pyramidal roof, dates back to the fourth century AD, when Egypt was under the control of the Roman Empire. It was discovered by the archaeological team near the ancient city of Mothis, now known as Mut, which was one of the prominent cities of the oasis. The tomb was built for a husband and wife, with the husband named Pisikhtis, who is believed to have held the position of a judge, according to the scientific site 'Live Science.'

The engraved stone slab includes an elegy for the deceased in ancient Greek, described by Angelos Chaniotis, a researcher at the Institute for Advanced Study in New Jersey, USA, who did not participate in the excavation, as a literary and highly original epigraphic poem, whose linguistic rules resemble those of the famous Homeric epics.

Chaniotis also explained that the short poem praises the deceased for his kindness and wisdom, describing him as a wise advisor in life. He added that his son Sarabion addresses him in the last lines with the phrase 'Listen, O Father,' asking him to accept the funeral offerings and the sacrifices of the grieving children. The researcher noted that the use of diacritical marks, such as accents, is one of the most prominent features of the inscription, indicating the high educational level of the poem's author.

The tomb contains hieroglyphic inscriptions that record spells dedicated to protecting the deceased, some of which refer to parts of the Book of the Dead, a religious text that narrates the journey of the sun god through the underworld.

Archaeologists also found an offering table, a purification basin, and pottery, in addition to at least one coin bearing the image of the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great, who ruled between 306 and 337 AD. Constantine is known for legitimizing Christianity and converting to it shortly before his death; however, there do not appear to be any Christian decorations or texts in the tomb.

Fourteen steps lead to the entrance of the tomb, adorned with various images, including a winged sun disk, a depiction of the god Osiris, and a cobra snake, according to the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.

The Egyptian ministry also indicated in a statement that the tomb may have been reused at a later time, as it is likely that a mudbrick chamber above its entrance was built after the burial of Bisixtis and his wife.