A recent discovery in the royal necropolis of Tanis has reignited debates about the funerary practices of ancient Egypt. Archaeologists have unearthed 225 funerary figurines, called shabtis, bearing the name of Pharaoh Shoshenq III. These objects were found in a tomb already attributed to another ruler, Osorkon II.
Shabtis are statuettes intended to serve the deceased in the afterlife by symbolically performing the agricultural labor demanded by the gods. Such a large collection is usually reserved for a king or a person of the highest rank. The hieroglyphic inscriptions carved on the figurines clearly mention Shoshenq III, a ruler of the 22nd Dynasty who reigned in the 9th century BCE. This attribution leaves little doubt about their original provenance.
A portion of the discovered figurines.
Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities The tomb in question was first excavated in the 20th century and was associated with Pharaoh Osorkon II, the predecessor of Shoshenq III. The presence of funerary objects belonging to another king suggests a deliberate displacement of the funerary goods, or even of the body itself. Archaeologists are considering several hypotheses, including a later reburial intended to protect the royal remains from looting, which was frequent during the Third Intermediate Period.
This period is marked by political instability and a fragmentation of power. Royal funerary practices seem to have adapted to this uncertain situation. The reuse of existing tombs or the transfer of funerary objects from one ruler to another could reflect protective strategies or material constraints.
The recent excavations are part of the continuity of the great discoveries made at Tanis in the 1930s by Egyptologist Pierre Montet. Long overshadowed by the fame of the Valley of the Kings, the Delta necropolis is proving to be essential for the study of the Libyan dynasties. The site's humid conditions have complicated preservation, but they have also preserved some exceptional objects, such as these shabtis in large numbers.
This discovery contributes to refining the understanding of royal funerary rites during a period of transition. It reminds us that Egyptian tombs are not always fixed ensembles, but places that have undergone successive modifications. Research continues to determine whether Shoshenq III was actually buried at Tanis or if his funerary objects were moved there later.