Burial mask of Psusennes I

Photo by Galen C. Dalrymple, copyright 2024. All Rights Reserved.

When you think of the great Egyptian pharaohs, you probably think of Amenhotep, Ramesses II, Perhaps Thutmose III and a few others, including a few female pharaohs such as Hatshepsut and later Cleopatra III. But the name of Psusennes I probably isn’t one that sits on the tip of your tongue.

Psusennes I, also knowns as Psusennes the Great, was an ancient Egyptian pharaoh that ruled during what is known as the Third Intermediate Period. He was a member of the 21st dynasty and ruled from around 1047 to 1001 BC and was considered one of the most powerful rulers of his time. Psusennes is the Greek version of his original name Pasibkhanu or Pasebakhaenniut which means “The Star Appearing in the City” while his throne name, Akheperre Setepenamun, translates as “Great are the Manifestations of Ra, chosen of Amun.”

He rose to power during a period of political instability that was marked by weak central control and numerous regional kings had power. Psusennes I make his capital in Tanis, located in the northeastern part of the Nile Delta region.

One significant aspect of Psusennes I’s reign was his restoration of stability and prosperity in Egypt. He was able to consolidate his power and strengthen the central government. Psusennes I’s rule was characterized by economic growth, as evidenced by the many burial goods found in his tomb, such as gold and silver artifacts that indicate that trade and wealth were flourishing in Egypt during his reign. His coffin was made of silver, and while some might think that indicates less importance than a golden coffin, the fact is that silver was considered more precious than gold to the ancient Egyptians.

Psusennes I is also known for his military achievements. He successfully defended Egypt against external threats and maintained its territorial integrity. The borders of Egypt remained relatively secure during his rule.

One of the most remarkable accomplishments of Psusennes I is the grandeur and opulence of his burial. His tomb, discovered in 1940 by French archaeologist Pierre Montet, is one of the most beautiful and well-preserved tombs ever found in Egypt. The burial contained a wealth of treasures, including gold and silver masks, jewelry, and other precious items. Psusennes I’s tomb holds the distinction of being the only pharaonic grave ever found totally unscathed by any tomb robbing attempts.

He died an old man, and the head of Cairo University’s Anatomy Department noted that Psusennes I’s teeth were badly worn and full of cavities, that he had an abscess that left a hole in his palate and observed that the king suffered from extensive arthritis and was probably crippled by this condition in his final years.

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY: in 1893, in Washington, D.C. on June 9, 1893, the interior of ramshackle Ford’s Theatre collapsed, causing the deaths of 22 people. The building—where President Lincoln was shot on April 14, 1865—housed hundreds of clerks employed by the War Department’s Records and Pensions Division. An investigation determines the cause of the tragedy was a pier that had given way during excavation in the basement for an electric-light plant.

Rescue workers quickly arrived on the scene, toiling “like demons” to search for victims and to remove debris. Clerks recalled screams of co-workers. One witness said Civil War veterans who worked in the building were the “wildest and craziest.” In a panic, some employees jumped from the second floor, using an awning to brace their fall.

Businesses and homes in the immediate area were used as makeshift hospitals. Anguished relatives rushed to the scene. Some onlookers watched events unfold from the rooftops of buildings.

“Plunged in a chasm of death,” read a newspaper headline.

A Washington Post reporter visited the home of a victim whose body was the last one recovered. “Say, mister, when is papa coming home?” asked the tearful boy. “He will come home tomorrow, won’t he?”

One man thought there was a “curse” on the building since Lincoln’s assassination. “…if I had my way [Ford’s Theatre] should be entirely demolished and the ground be forever left unbuilt upon,” he told a reporter.

Ford’s Theatre remained a federal office building until 1932. After undergoing extensive renovations, it was re-opened as a theater in 1968. The national historic site underwent extensive renovations again in the 2000s. – The History Channel

TRIVIA FOR TODAY: While your brain processes pain, it cannot feel it. During brain surgery, anesthesia is only used on the scalp because the brain does not need to be numbed.