The longest Etruscan text became mummy bandages

A closer look

If you ever want to hide a secret document, the ancient world proved that tying it around a corpse is a fantastic strategy. The Liber Linteus is the longest known text in the extinct, undeciphered Etruscan language. But archaeologists didn't find it in Italy. They found it in Croatia, sliced into strips and used as bandages to wrap a female Egyptian mummy. Somehow, an ancient linen book detailing Etruscan religious rituals made its way to Egypt, was sold as scrap fabric to a budget embalmer, and ended up as high-end mummy tape. It’s the ancient equivalent of using a rare first-edition novel to pack fragile dishes.