Archaeologists have discovered two ancient Egyptian tombs containing 2,500-year-old mummies with golden tongues, a rare burial practice believed to help the dead speak in the afterlife.

The tombs were uncovered in the historic city of Alexandria, where researchers found mummies whose mouths contained thin pieces of gold shaped like tongues. Experts say the unusual ritual may have been intended to allow the deceased to communicate with the god Osiris in the underworld.

The discovery offers new insight into ancient Egyptian burial traditions and religious beliefs during the later periods of Egypt’s history.