Egypt .. mummies with golden tongues found

An Egyptian Dominican archaeological mission discovered, near the city of Alexandria, mummies with golden tongues in their mouths dating back about two thousand years, according to what the Egyptian authorities reported on Wednesday.

The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities stated in a statement that "the mission" had succeeded in uncovering 16 burials in the tombs carved into the rock in the Temple of Tabores Magna, west of Alexandria, in northern Egypt.

She added that this technique used in burial was popular in the Greek and Roman eras.

The ministry explained that these openings contained a number of mummies in a poor state of preservation.

In it were found amulets made of golden foil in the form of a tongue.

The ministry explained that these amulets "were placed in the mouth of the deceased in a special ritual to ensure his ability to pronounce the other world before the Osiri court."

For his part, Director General of Alexandria Antiquities Khaled Abu Al-Hamad said that the mission also found a funeral mask for a woman, eight gold foil, representing golden wreath leaves, and eight marble masks, dating back to the Greek and Roman eras.

These masks are highly accurate in carving and depicting the features of their owners.