A significant archaeological discovery was made by the French Archaeological Mission working at the San El-Hagar (Tanis) antiquities area in Sharqiya Governorate. Led by Dr. Frédéric Payraudeau from Sorbonne University, the team made the find inside one of the royal tombs renowned for its treasures, which gained fame in 1939 with the discovery of a collection of the most valuable known treasures, now exhibited at the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir under the name of the "Tanis Treasures."
During archaeological cleaning of the floor of the northern chamber in the tomb of King Osorkon II of the 22nd Dynasty, the mission discovered a large collection of 225 funerary statues (Ushabtis) belonging to King Shoshenq III, one of the most prominent kings of the 22nd Dynasty known for his distinct architectural contributions in Tanis. The statues were found in situ within layers of accumulated silt, near an un-inscribed granite sarcophagus that had been previously discovered without an identified owner.
Dr. Mohamed Ismail Khaled, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, affirmed during his inspection of the excavation site in Tanis that this discovery represents a unique scientific addition, being the most significant find witnessed in the Tanis royal tombs since 1946. He added that the find is a crucial step towards solving a long-standing archaeological puzzle: the new scientific evidence suggests that the sarcophagus belongs to King Shoshenq III. This opens the door for new studies on the nature of royal burial during that period and whether the King was buried inside Osorkon II's tomb or if his funerary belongings were transferred there later for protection.
He also added that this discovery reflects the extent of fruitful cooperation between the French mission and the Egyptian side, and confirms that the Tanis site still holds many undiscovered secrets, which necessitates the continuation of excavation and restoration work, as it is one of the most important royal centers of the Third Intermediate Period.
Professor Mohamed Abdel-Badi’e, Head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector, noted that the mission also succeeded in revealing new and previously unknown inscriptions within the same chamber. This enhances researchers' understanding of the evolution of royal tomb usage and burial methods during that era.
Dr. Hisham Hussein, Head of the Central Administration of Lower Egypt Antiquities, clarified that the French mission has been working at the site since 1929 as part of an extended partnership with the Supreme Council of Antiquities, aiming to study and restore this important royal site. He pointed out that the discovery came during the preparatory phase of a comprehensive project to protect the royal tomb, which includes erecting a modern canopy over the tombs and undertaking work to reduce salts and clean the architectural elements both inside and outside.
Dr. Frédéric Payraudeau explained that the next phase will involve conducting precise archaeological studies of the new inscriptions found inside the northern chamber of King Osorkon II's tomb, in addition to completing the cleaning work, which may reveal more facts about the circumstances of King Shoshenq III’s burial.
He added that it remains unclear whether the king was buried directly inside Osorkon II’s tomb, or if his funerary belongings were transferred to this location to protect them from looting. "We still have a lot of work ahead to answer these questions."
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