Tanis: The Thebes of the North and Its Forgotten Treasures
Tanis, the present-day San el-Hagar, is one of the most important and at the same time least known archaeological sites of ancient Egypt. Located in the heart of the Nile Delta, in the province of Sharqia, this ancient city was the capital of Egypt during the Twenty-first and Twenty-second dynasties (1069-715 BC) and guarded treasures of a wealth comparable to, if not superior to, those of the famous tomb of Tutankhamun. Yet the discovery of the royal tombs of Tanis in 1939 passed almost unnoticed, overshadowed by the outbreak of the Second World War.
Tanis represents a fascinating paradox of Egyptology: a site of capital importance for the understanding of Egyptian history, extremely rich in extraordinary finds, yet known to the general public only as the place where Indiana Jones sought the Ark of the Covenant in the film "Raiders of the Lost Ark". The historical reality is just as compelling as any cinematic fiction.
History of Tanis
The Origins and the Rise
Tanis emerged as an important urban centre towards the end of the New Kingdom, when the Pelusiac branch of the Nile, on which the ancient capital Pi-Ramesses (the city of Ramesses II) stood, began to silt up. The pharaohs of the Twenty-first dynasty, starting with Smendes I (1069-1043 BC), transferred the capital to Tanis, bringing with them enormous quantities of architectural material from Pi-Ramesses: obelisks, colossal statues, carved blocks and granite columns.
This massive transfer of monuments created confusion among archaeologists for decades, since many of the blocks and statues found at Tanis bore the name of Ramesses II, leading initially to the belief that Tanis was the same Pi-Ramesses. Only the most recent research has demonstrated that these are two distinct cities and that the Ramesside materials were transported and reused by the sovereigns of the Twenty-first dynasty.
The Capital of the Third Intermediate Period
As the capital of Egypt during the Third Intermediate Period, Tanis assumed a political, religious and commercial role of primary importance. The city housed a great temple dedicated to Amun, built with materials recycled from Pi-Ramesses and decorated with new inscriptions by the pharaohs of Tanis. The sacred enclosure of Amun, surrounded by an imposing perimeter wall of mud brick, was the religious heart of the city and the northern equivalent of the great temple complex of Karnak at Thebes.
The pharaohs of the Twenty-first dynasty, although governing a divided country, maintained a splendid court and an elaborate ceremonial. Their funerary treasures, discovered almost intact, testify to a wealth and an artistic refinement that had nothing to envy of the great pharaohs of the previous eras.
The Twenty-second Dynasty and the Decline
With the advent of the Twenty-second dynasty, founded by the Libyan pharaoh Shoshenq I (the biblical Shishak), Tanis maintained its status as capital and religious centre. Shoshenq I is known for his military campaign in Palestine, narrated both in Egyptian sources and in the Bible. However, in the following centuries, with the progressive weakening of central power and the shifting of the centres of power, Tanis gradually lost its importance, reducing itself to a marginal settlement in the panorama of Lower Egypt.
The Discovery of the Royal Tombs
Pierre Montet and the Excavations of 1939
The most sensational discovery of Tanis took place in February 1939, when the French archaeologist Pierre Montet brought to light a complex of royal tombs within the enclosure of the temple of Amun. Unlike the tombs of the Valley of the Kings at Thebes, dug into the rock, the tombs of Tanis were built of limestone and granite within the sacred perimeter of the temple, a unique solution dictated by the flat geology of the Delta, which offered no rocky walls for the burials.
The first tomb discovered was that of Osorkon II of the Twenty-second dynasty, followed by those of Psusennes I, Amenemope, Shoshenq II and other sovereigns. The excitement for these discoveries was immense, but the world was distracted by far more serious concerns: the Second World War was at the gates, and the outbreak of the conflict in September 1939 relegated Montet's discoveries to the inner pages of the newspapers.
The Treasure of Psusennes I
The tomb of Psusennes I (1047-1001 BC) contained one of the richest funerary assemblages ever found in Egypt. The pharaoh lay in a sarcophagus of solid silver, unique of its kind, with the face covered by a gold funerary mask of superb craftsmanship. The assemblage comprised jewels of gold and lapis lazuli, alabaster canopic jars, amulets, pectorals and an elaborate usekh collar of gold.
The mask of Psusennes I, today preserved in the Egyptian Museum of Cairo, is often compared to the mask of Tutankhamun for its beauty and its artistic value. Made of solid gold with inlays of lapis lazuli and glass, the mask portrays the pharaoh with a serene and regal expression that transcends the millennia. Unlike the mask of Tutankhamun, that of Psusennes is relatively little known, a historical injustice that Egyptologists are trying to correct.
The Tomb of Shoshenq II
Another extraordinary discovery was the silver sarcophagus of Shoshenq II, decorated with scenes of the pharaoh welcomed by the gods in the afterlife. The tomb also contained a magnificent gold pectoral in the shape of a winged scarab and gold bracelets of great refinement. These finds demonstrate that, despite the political turbulence of the Third Intermediate Period, Egyptian goldsmithing had reached unsurpassed peaks of excellence.
The Archaeological Site Today
What to See
The archaeological site of Tanis extends over an area of about 177 hectares, dominated by a tell (artificial hill) that represents the accumulation of millennia of human occupation. The main ruins include the remains of the great temple of Amun, with its toppled obelisks and fragmented columns, the sacred enclosure of the temple of Mut and the areas of the royal necropolises.
Among the finds still in situ one can observe enormous blocks of rose granite with finely carved hieroglyphs, fragmented statues of kings and deities, and the bases of obelisks that once soared against the sky of the Delta. The atmosphere of the site is very different from that of the great temples of Upper Egypt: here the vegetation of the Delta grows among the ruins and the surrounding agricultural landscape recalls that one is in the heart of the most fertile land of Egypt.
The Ongoing Excavations
The French archaeological missions continue to work at Tanis, bringing to light new structures and finds. Modern technology, including geophysical surveys and satellite images, has revealed that a large part of the ancient city still lies beneath the surface, promising future discoveries of great importance.
Practical Tips for the Visit
How to Get There
Tanis is located about 130 kilometres north-east of Cairo, in the province of Sharqia. The best way to reach it is by car, following the road to Zagazig and then towards San el-Hagar. There are no direct public transport to the site. It is advisable to rent a car with a driver or to participate in an organised tour from Cairo.
The Visit
The site is vast but flat, easily walkable. An in-depth visit requires about two or three hours. It is advisable to hire a local guide, since the ruins, without explanations, can be little comprehensible. There are no refreshment facilities at the site, so it is important to bring water and food.
Combining with Other Sites
The visit to Tanis can be combined with a stop at Bubastis (Tell Basta), located near Zagazig, for a day dedicated to the archaeology of the Delta. The treasures found at Tanis are displayed at the Egyptian Museum of Cairo and will be transferred to the Grand Egyptian Museum of Giza.
Tanis is a place that deserves to be rediscovered and valued, a testimony of Egyptian grandeur that still awaits to reveal its deepest secrets. For the curious traveller passionate about history, a visit to Tanis is a journey into the less known but no less fascinating heart of ancient Egypt.
