One of the most extraordinary archaeological finds of recent decades has come to light in Egypt, where archaeologists have detected 225 perfectly preserved funerary figurines have been found inside a royal tomb – a discovery that experts say could rewrite the history of Egyptian funerary customs. The tomb, found deep beneath the sands of Tanid, was found to be completely empty – no mummies, no burial cloths, no bodies – but filled with ritually placed funerary objects.

The figurines were found arranged in a star shape and in regular horizontal rows, a rare ceremonial structure that has remained intact for some 3.000 years. Over half of the figurines depict women – a phenomenon almost unprecedented for royal tombs of the Third Intermediate Period and an element that challenges previous beliefs about the funerary practices of that era.

Archaeologists believe that this unusual composition may indicate a special ritual, a political role for women at court, or a still-unexplained symbolism. This is the most important discovery at Tanis in about 80 years, since the major finds of the 1940s. Intact figurines in a royal tomb are extremely rare, making this discovery unique for Egyptian archaeology.

The Mystery of Shosmenk III: A Known Tomb, but Without a Pharaoh
Royal symbols carved into the objects confirm that the empty tomb belongs to Pharaoh Shosmenk III, who ruled from 830 to 791 BC. Until now, his burial site had been an unsolved mystery.

Even more intriguing is the question: why was the pharaoh never buried in his own tomb?
French Egyptologist Frédéric Pierrot, speaking from Paris, described the find as “surprising,” especially considering that the walls of another tomb in the same area, as well as the largest sarcophagus there, bear the same royal name. Pierrot added that for a pharaoh, building a tomb was always a risky gamble: “It was never certain whether the successor would honor the burial plan. We have new evidence that these bets are not always worth it,” he said with a smile.

The excavation team worked for ten days, often at night, to extract each figure without damaging their delicate structure. After thorough analysis and documentation, the figurines are expected to go on display in an Egyptian museum, offering the public a rare window into the funerary world of one of ancient Egypt's most enigmatic rulers.