Experts in Egypt say the find marks “a key step toward solving a long-standing archaeological mystery,” according to a post from the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. (Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities)
Archaeologists uncovered 225 funerary figurines inside a royal tomb in Tanis, the ancient capital in Egypt’s Nile Delta. The discovery surprised researchers and filled a major gap in Egypt’s history. French egyptologist Frederic Payraudeau announced the find in Paris and called it extremely rare. He noted that no one had uncovered figurines in place inside a royal tomb at Tanis since 1946.
Unusual Conditions for Discovery
Payraudeau leads the French team working at the site. He says the group made the discovery on October 9 while exploring a tight burial space. A large, undecorated sarcophagus stood in the centre of the tomb. The team had already cleared three corners of the room when they spotted several figurines grouped together.
He says he knew something big was coming. He rushed to alert the rest of the team. Work usually ended early that day, but they continued late into the night. They set up lights and carefully documented every detail. The team then spent 10 days lifting out all 225 figurines.
How the Figurines Were Arranged
The small green figures were placed in a careful pattern. Payraudeau says they formed a star shape along the upper edges of a trapezoid-shaped pit. Others lay in neat rows at the base. These objects, called ushabti, acted as helpers for the dead in the afterlife. More than half of them show women, which Payraudeau describes as an uncommon feature.
Tanis served as Egypt’s capital beginning around 1050 BC, during the 21st dynasty. At that time, looters had damaged many tombs in the Valley of the Kings. As a result, royal burials moved to Tanis. The site became the new resting place for pharaohs and high officials.
An Answer to a Long-Standing Question
The figurines provided more than beauty and rare craftsmanship. They also carried royal markings. These symbols identified the tomb’s occupant as Shoshenq III, a pharaoh who ruled from 830 to 791 BC. This finding shocked the team because another tomb at Tanis already shows his name on its walls and holds the largest sarcophagus in the area.
Payraudeau raised a simple but important question: if that tomb bears his name, why didn’t the pharaoh rest there? He explained that rulers often designed their own tombs but had no guarantee they would be buried in them. Turbulent times might disrupt plans. Shoshenq III’s rule saw deep conflict between Upper and Lower Egypt. Several leaders fought for power. This chaos may have changed his final burial plans.
Another idea suggests that thieves forced workers to move his remains to a safer place. Still, Payraudeau doubts anyone could move a massive granite sarcophagus into such a tight corner of the Tanis tomb.
Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities says the discovery marks an important step toward solving long-held mysteries about Tanis and its rulers. Researchers will study the figurines before placing them in a museum for public viewing.
