Egyptian police discover a pair of Greco-Roman mummies — in a sewer

A pair of ancient mummies found decaying in sewage

(Image credit: Twitter.com/BBC)

last updated 5 February 2015

Police in Minya, Egypt, found a pair of ancient Greco-Roman mummies decaying in the village's sewer — and they suspect foul play.

Wrapped in linen and housed in wooden sarcophagi, the bodies are thought to date from 332 BC to 395 AD. The bodies were badly decayed from the polluted waters, but the "colorful designs" of women on the coffins are still quite apparent, according to Egypt's Ministry of Antiquities.

As for why the mummies were floating in a polluted sewer, authorities can't say for sure — but they have their suspicions. Egypt has a notorious problem with illegal excavations, and the ministry believes treasure hunters dumped the bodies to hide their trail. The sewage-sodden mummies are being restored by experts with the hopes that they'll one day be displayed in a local museum.