BIBLE HISTORY DAILY

Is Sheshonq Buried at Tanis?

Figurine trove may reveal Pharaoh Sheshonq III’s last resting place

The ushabti figurines of Pharaoh Sheshonq III. Courtesy Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.

While carrying out conservation work within the tomb of Pharaoh Osorkon II (r. 872–837 BCE), a French archaeology team was shocked to discover a trove of 225 ushabti figurines bearing the name of Pharaoh Sheshonq III (r. 841–803 BCE). Discovered in situ, these figurines may provide the missing link to identify Sheshonq III’s final resting place.

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The ushabti figurines—which were placed in royal Egyptian tombs to serve the deceased in the afterlife—were discovered buried under a thick layer of silt in the northern chamber of Osorkon II’s tomb. Although the tomb was first excavated nearly a century ago, several sections, including the northern chamber, had only been partially excavated. The tomb itself is located at the site of Tanis, the Egyptian capital during the reigns of both Osorkon II and Sheshonq III. The city’s royal tombs have already produced many incredible finds and even inspired the setting for the Ark of the Covenant’s final resting place in the movie Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Among the previous discoveries from the northern chamber of Osorkon II’s tomb was an enigmatic granite sarcophagus, which lacked any inscriptions to aid in identifying its original owner. The newly discovered ushabti figurines, however, might be the key to unlocking the owner’s identity. Despite the sarcophagus and ushabtis being discovered years apart, their proximity to each other suggests a close connection. While more research needs to be done, it appears that the sarcophagus’s most likely owner was none other than Pharaoh Sheshonq III, whose own tomb has never been located.

The ushabti figurines in situ. Courtesy Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.

However, this raises yet another question. What is the sarcophagus of one pharaoh doing in the antechamber of another pharaoh’s tomb? Although the reuse of burial goods was a common practice in ancient Egypt, this does not appear to be what happened in the present case. Instead, the archaeologists suggests that Sheshonq III was either intentionally buried in the tomb of his predecessor or that his sarcophagus and burial goods were later moved from his own tomb to protect them. Luckily, the team also managed to identify several new inscriptions within the northern chamber. Once translated, they hope these new inscriptions will answer these lingering questions.

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