The Silver Pharaoh

Amid the chaos and turmoil of World War II, as the world was gripped by conflict and uncertainty, a dazzling revelation emerged from the sands of antiquity—a discovery that would captivate archaeologists and historians alike. In 1940, in the remnants of Tanis, an ancient city shrouded in mystery within Egypt’s Nile Delta, French archaeologist Pierre Montet (1885–1966), unearthed a sanctuary of splendour belonging to the enigmatic “Silver Pharaohs”. From 1929 to 1956, Montet embarked on extensive excavations, unveiling the royal necropolis of the Third Intermediate Period. Within these burial grounds lay the untouched tombs of illustrious pharaohs, including Psusennes I, Amenemope, and Shoshenq II, adorned with a dazzling array of gold funerary masks and exquisite jewellery, echoing the splendour of a bygone age.

Although gold trasures bestowed the burial place, unlike the famed golden treasures of Tutankhamun, these royal resting places more noticeably gleamed with a silvery lustre, an opulence born from coffins and funerary masks crafted from pure silver—a metal once believed to be the flesh of the gods. Here lay Pharaoh Psusennes I, adorned in regal magnificence, his mask a vision of ethereal beauty, reflecting a silvery sheen that seemed to capture the light of the moon itself. The tomb, remarkably preserved and untouched by grave robbers, yielded a wealth of jewels, amulets, and exquisitely crafted artefacts, painting a vivid picture of Ancient Egyptian royalty and religious devotion.

The discovery was nothing short of extraordinary. It revealed the grandeur of the 21st and 22nd Dynasties—a period previously veiled in historical obscurity. As the world waged war, the sands of Tanis whispered of a forgotten era, shimmering with the legacy of the Silver Pharaohs, a testament to the splendour and resilience of Ancient Egyptian civilization.

Tanis

Tanis, known to the Ancient Egyptians as ḏꜥn.t and in Egyptian-Arabic as Ṣān al-Ḥajar, was a Pharaonic city in the northeastern expanse of the Nile Delta. It rose to prominence as the capital of Egypt during the 21st and 22nd Dynasties, around 1075 B.C., following the decline of the Asiatic empire during the twilight of the 20th Dynasty. Its strategic location, nestled near the Asiatic seaboard, granted it significant influence over trade routes and military ventures, establishing Tanis as a nexus of power and commerce.

Tanis has long been subject to the harsh embrace of Egypt’s climate. In antiquity, as now, the city endured a relentless desert climate marked by scorching temperatures and scarce rainfall. In modern times, this arid land faces sweltering summers with temperatures soaring beyond 40°C (104°F), while winters bring cooler air, averaging around 15°C (59°F).

The city first revealed its ancient secrets to modern eyes in the 19th century when systematic excavations began. In 1866, the German Egyptologist Karl Richard Lepsius uncovered a copy of the Canopus Decree at Tanis—a bilingual inscription in Greek and Egyptian that played an instrumental role in verifying the accuracy of hieroglyphic decipherment.

Intriguingly, many monuments bearing the cartouches of Ramesses II were unearthed at Tanis, leading early Egyptologists to mistakenly credit the city’s founding to this great pharaoh. However, it is now known that these grand monuments were relocated from Pi-Ramesses—the true capital of Ramesses II—likely due to the shifting branches of the Nile, which led to Pi-Ramesses’ decline. This act of repurposing monumental stonework infused Tanis with the grandeur of an earlier era.

Tanis was a city steeped in divine reverence, dedicated chiefly to the Tanite Triad, his consort Mut, and their divine offspring Khonsu. This holy trinity mirrored the powerful Theban triad, earning Tanis the distinguished title of “Northern Thebes”.

Although its prominence waned after the Third Intermediate Period, the ruins of Tanis continue to whisper tales of Egypt’s glorious past, offering a glimpse into the spiritual and political life of an ancient civilization. Even today, the city of Tanis stands as a testament to Egypt’s illustrious history, its sands still guarding the echoes of pharaohs and gods, warriors and priests, whose stories linger within its hallowed ruins.

Psusennes I

Psusennes I reigned during the 21st Dynasty, c. 1047-1001 B.C., a period marked by political complexity and shifting power dynamics. Ascending to the throne as both king and high priest of Amun, Psusennes I skilfully balanced religious authority with political sovereignty, ruling from his capital at Tanis in the Nile Delta. Despite Egypt’s division, with Thebes governed by powerful priesthoods, Psusennes I maintained stability through strategic alliances, including marriage ties that united the northern and southern realms.

Psusennes I’s reign was characterized by extensive building projects, notably the grand Temple of Amun at Tanis, adorned with colossal statues and obelisks relocated from earlier sites. Psusennes I’s legacy endures not only through his architectural achievements, but also through the opulence of his untouched tomb—revealing the wealth and artistry of an era often overshadowed by its predecessors.

In 1939, French archaeologist Pierre Montet unveiled one of the most extraordinary discoveries in Egyptology—the intact tomb of Pharaoh Psusennes I, known as NRT III. This burial was a revelation, for it had lain undisturbed by looters, its treasures preserved for millennia. Amidst the ruins of the royal necropolis, Montet beheld a sight of unparalleled splendour: the resting place of a king whose wealth and grandeur rivalled even that of Tutankhamun.

Psusennes I was enshrined within a grand stone outer sarcophagus, hewn from granite with a beautifully carved depicted of the goddess Nut adorning it. Remarkably, it is believed that this sarcophagus was not originally crafted for him but repurposed from the burial of king Merenptah of the 19th Dynasty, a testament to the resourcefulness of Egypt’s Third Intermediate Period. Despite this usurping, the outer stone enclosure was but the first of many layers protecting this ancient sovereign. Nestled within was an inner coffin forged of solid silver—an opulent rarity in Ancient Egypt, for silver was deemed even more precious than gold. This magnificent anthropoid coffin, sculpted to mirror his regal visage, bestowed upon Psusennes I the illustrious title of “The Silver Pharaoh“.

Within this gleaming silver sarcophagus, the pharaoh’s mummy was adorned in breathtaking splendour. A golden funerary mask, inlaid with lapis lazuli, enveloped his face, preserving his majesty for eternity. His body was further adorned with gold sandals, finger and toe stalls of pure gold, and an array of rings set with semiprecious stones, reflecting the masterful craftsmanship of the age. Despite the humid and harsh conditions of the Nile Delta, which had ravaged many wooden artifacts, these treasures of precious metal endured, safeguarding the legacy of this great king.

The remnant of Psusennes I’s skeletal mummy revealed that he was likely an elderly man at the time of his passing, afflicted by severe dental issues and arthritis—a poignant reminder of the mortal suffering that no wealth could alleviate. Yet, his tomb, untouched by plunder, stood as a monument to his power and reverence.

The discovery of Psusennes I’s tomb not only illuminated the opulence and artistry of Egypt’s Third Intermediate Period but also provided profound insights into the funerary practices and lives of its elite. It was a discovery that echoed through the annals of history, a voice from the sands of Tanis whispering of a king’s immortal grandeur.