Pharaoh Sheshonq III‘s Sarcophagus Identified in Egyptian Necropolis
TANIS, EGYPT – Archaeologists have definitively identified teh sarcophagus of Pharaoh Sheshonq III within a royal tomb in the ancient city of Tanis, a discovery hailed as a significant breakthrough in understanding a turbulent period of Egyptian history. The finding, announced this week, resolves a decades-old mystery surrounding the burial location of the ruler who reigned during the 22nd Dynasty.
The sarcophagus was located in a chamber previously believed to be associated with Sheshonq III’s predecessor, Osorkon II. While the identification confirms the chamber’s connection to Sheshonq III, researchers are now investigating whether the king was originally buried there or if the grave goods were moved to the chamber later, potentially as a protective measure against tomb robbers-a question that could reshape current understanding of royal burial practices during a time of political fragmentation.
This discovery clarifies an vital chapter in the funerary landscape of ancient Egypt. Tanis, located in the Nile Delta, served as a crucial royal necropolis during the Third Intermediate Period (roughly 1070-664 BCE), a time marked by political instability and shifting power dynamics. The identification of Sheshonq III’s sarcophagus, alongside newly discovered inscriptions and reliefs, promises to expand academic knowledge about how the royal necropolis was reused and adapted over centuries.
The ongoing work is part of a larger preservation project focused on safeguarding the tombs of Tanis. Archaeologists are implementing measures to protect the structures from environmental damage, including installing protective coverings, reducing salt levels, and cleaning architectural features.This collaborative effort between Egyptian and French teams builds upon a legacy of archaeological work at the site that began in 1929.
Tanis frist captured global attention in 1939 with the unearthing of the “Tanis Treasures,” a collection of royal artifacts comparable in splendor to those found in the tomb of Tutankhamun. The reappearance of funerary statuettes of Sheshonq III and the resolution of the sarcophagus mystery reaffirm Tanis’s importance as a key site for illuminating one of the least understood eras of ancient Egypt.