Mummy Plaque of Psusennes I
Gleaming and delicately incised, this slender gold plaque once rested upon the embalmed body of king Psusennes I, positioned directly over the visceral incision, that necessary but vulnerable breach made by the embalmers to remove the internal organs during mummification. In both symbolism and execution, this exquisite object exemplifies the deeply spiritual and ritualistic concern the Ancient Egyptians held for bodily integrity in the afterlife. The wound may have been necessary, but it was never left unguarded.
Far more than a decorative flourish, this amuletic plate served both a protective and symbolic function: to ‘heal’ the sacred wound and to shield the king’s body from malevolent forces in the afterlife.
At the heart of the composition lies the Wadjet Eye, also known as the Eye of Horus; a potent emblem of restoration, wholeness, and divine vigilance. Flanking it are the vigilant Four Sons of Horus, each portrayed with raised arms in reverent supplication. These guardian deities; Hapi (baboon-headed, protector of the lungs), Imsety (human-headed, guardian of the liver), Duamutef (jackal-headed, keeper of the stomach), and Qebehsenuef (falcon-headed, defender of the intestines), are more commonly seen presiding over Canopic jars. Here, however, they appear as living shields, encircling the sacred Eye in an eternal act of guardianship.
Above the tableau, their names are elegantly inscribed in hieroglyphs, accompanied by the royal cartouche of Psusennes I. A fine linear frame encloses the scene, with tiny pierced holes at each corner, practical in design, allowing the plaque to be stitched securely to the mummy wrappings.
Psusennes I, also rendered in Egyptian as Pasibkhanu and meaning “The Star Appearing in the City”, was a pharaoh of the 21st Dynasty who reigned around 1047–1001 B.C., during the Third Intermediate Period; a time of significant political fragmentation, religious decentralisation, and regional power struggles.
Despite this era’s instability, Psusennes I stands out as one of its more formidable and successful rulers. He governed from Tanis, in the eastern Delta, rather than Thebes, which had become the spiritual capital under the authority of the High Priests of Amun. Though the country was divided, (religiously ruled from Thebes, politically governed from Tanis) Psusennes managed to consolidate considerable prestige and stability in the north.
Psusennes I’s reign is marked by significant temple building, especially in Tanis, which he transformed into a kind of northern Thebes, replicating monumental religious architecture, including a grand temple of Amun. Psusennes I also maintained diplomatic and familial ties with the powerful Theban priesthood, marrying his daughter Mutnedjmet into the high priestly class and bestowing titles such as High Priest of Amun and Generalissimo upon family members to bolster unity.
What makes Psusennes I especially remarkable in the eyes of modern historians and archaeologists is the discovery of his intact royal tomb, a rarity in Egyptian archaeology. Found by Pierre Montet in 1939 at Tanis, the burial included a magnificent silver sarcophagus (an extraordinary material choice, as silver was rarer than gold in Egypt), a gold funerary mask, and a trove of richly adorned burial goods. The preservation of his tomb, possibly owing to its Delta location, less attractive to ancient tomb robbers, has provided scholars with a vivid glimpse into the regalia and funerary practices of Late Period Egyptian royalty.
In essence, Psusennes I was a king of paradoxes: ruling in a time of decline, yet buried with splendour; a northern monarch maintaining southern alliances; and a figure whose legacy survives not through monumental conquest, but through the quiet survival of his eternal resting place beneath the sands of Tanis.
Summary:
Protective Mummy Plaque of king Psusennes I
Third Intermediate Period, 21st Dynasty, c. 1047–1001 B.C.
From the tomb of Psusennes I, Tanis
Now at the Egyptian Museum, Cairo (JE 85821)
