Most people are familiar with the treasures found in the tomb of Tutankhamun and with his stunning funeral mask which remains one of the most universally recognisable objects ever made. However Tutankhamun's burial had been robbed at least twice in antiquity and many of the smaller items were missing. In spite of this the 'wonderful things' found by Howard Carter in the Valley of the Kings captured the imagination of the world.
There was, however, only ever one complete Pharaohnic burial discovered although it remains virtually unknown. In 1940 with the world on the brink of war, the French archaeologist Pierre Montet discovered the undisturbed tomb of the 21st Dynasty king Psusennes I, as well as the tombs of the Pharaohs Osorkon I, Takelot II, Sheshonq III and others in a royal necropolis at Tanis.
His funerary equipment included Canopic Jars, 400 ushabtis, gold and silver vessels of shapes and sizes.
The outer sarcophagus (pink granite) was originally made for Merenptah (from Valley of the Kings). Inside was a smaller black granite coffin (again re-used from an earlier burial -a nobleman from the 19th Dynasty), inside this coffin was a solid silver coffin, inside this was the mumy which wore a fabulous solid gold funerary mask.
After the reign of Ramesses III, a long, slow decline of royal power in Egypt followed. The pharaohs of the Twenty-First Dynasty ruled from Tanis, but were mostly active only in Lower Egypt which they controlled. This dynasty is described as 'Tanite' because its political capital was based at Tanis. Meanwhile, the High Priests of Amun at Thebes effectively ruled Middle and Upper Egypt in all but name. The later Egyptian Priest Manetho of Sebennytos states in his Epitome on Egyptian royal history that "the 21st Dynasty of Egypt lasted for 130 years.
Anklet of Psusennes I
Psusennes I was chief priest of Amun at Tanis. He also renamed himself "Ramses-Psusennes" as a way to be able to be traced in family lineage back to Ramsses. Psusennes I was the son of Pharaoh Pinudjem I. Psusennes I name means "The Star Appearing in the City". Psusennes I strengthened his links with the priesthood of Amun by marrying his daughter Istenkhed to the chief priest Menkhperre. At Tanis, Psusennes I built a new enclosure around the temple dedicated to the triad of Amun, Mut, and Khonsu. Psusennes I was buried in his tomb at Tanis with his wife Mutnedjmet. He had more of a reputation of a builder than those of his predessors of the 21st dynasty - he built a great mudbrick enclosure wall at Tanis to protect the temples that he constructed there to Amun, Mut and Khonsu and also the royal tomb. (outside Tanis very little of his work has survived). Psusennes I took the unprecedented step of adopting the title of "High Priest of Amun" (in the same way that the Theban priests had taken royal titles), it is thought to once again asert the Pharaoh's authority over the Theban priests. His wife, Mutnodjme (also his sister) also adopted the titles of the female counterpart of the High Priest of Amun. At Tanis built temples to the Theban deities to provide an alternative centre of worship for the gods and therefore break the High Priests power.
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