Psusennes I facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Psusennes I |
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| Pasebakhenniut I | |
Gold burial mask of King Psusennes I, discovered in 1940 by Pierre Montet
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| Pharaoh | |
| Reign | 1047–1001 BC (21st Dynasty) |
| Predecessor | Amenemnisu |
| Successor | Amenemope |
| Consort | Mutnodjmet, Wiay |
| Children | Amenemope, Ankhefenmut, Isetemkheb C |
| Father | Pinedjem I |
| Mother | Henuttawy |
| Died | c. 1001 BC |
| Burial | NRT III, Tanis |
| Monuments | Great Temple of Amun, Tanis (now in ruined fragments) |
Psusennes I was an important pharaoh from ancient Egypt. He was the third king of the 21st Dynasty. He ruled from the city of Tanis between 1047 and 1001 BC. His original Egyptian name, Pasebakhaenniut, means "The Star Appearing in the City." His throne name, Akheperre Setepenamun, means "Great are the Manifestations of Ra, chosen of Amun." Psusennes I was the son of Pinedjem I and Henuttawy. He married his sister, Mutnedjmet. His tomb was discovered in 1940 and was very special because it was found almost completely untouched by robbers.
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Psusennes I's Reign
Psusennes I ruled Egypt for a long time. Historians believe he was pharaoh for about 41 to 46 years. During his rule, he had good relationships with the powerful High Priests of Amun in Thebes. These priests even gave some special items for his tomb.
Psusennes I worked hard to make Tanis a grand capital city. He built strong walls around its main temple. This temple was dedicated to the gods Amun, Mut, and Khonsu. Many of the stones used for the temple came from an older city called Pi-Ramesses. These stones sometimes still had the name of the pharaoh Ramesses II on them.
Discovering Psusennes I's Tomb
In 1940, Professor Pierre Montet found Psusennes I's tomb in Tanis. This was a very exciting discovery! Most ancient Egyptian tombs were robbed long ago. But Psusennes I's tomb was found almost completely untouched. This was very rare.
The tomb of Tutankhamun in Upper Egypt was also famous. However, it had been robbed twice in ancient times. Psusennes I's tomb was unique because it was found completely safe from robbers.
Amazing Treasures Inside
Because Tanis is in a humid area, many wooden objects in the tomb were damaged by water. But the king's beautiful burial mask was perfectly preserved. It was made of gold and lapis lazuli. It also had black and white glass for the eyes and eyebrows. This mask is considered a masterpiece of ancient Egyptian art. You can see it in the Cairo Museum today.
Psusennes I's fingers and toes were covered in gold. He also wore gold sandals on his feet. The gold covers for his fingers were very detailed. They even had sculpted fingernails. Each finger also had a fancy ring made of gold and precious stones.
His outer and middle coffins were not new. They had been used for other pharaohs before. This was common practice during that time. But Psusennes I's inner coffin was special. It was made of silver and decorated with gold. Silver was even rarer than gold in ancient Egypt. This shows how incredibly wealthy Psusennes I was.
What We Learned About Psusennes
In 1940, Dr. Douglas Derry studied Psusennes I's remains. He found that the king was an old man when he died. Psusennes I had badly worn teeth and many cavities. He also had a hole in the roof of his mouth from an infection. Dr. Derry also saw signs of severe arthritis. This suggests the king might have had trouble moving in his later years.
