Osorkon II

King 874-850 BC.

    The Twenty-second Dynasty is sometimes known as the Bubastite Dynasty. Osorkon, one of its kings, tried to retain the unity of the country and prevent a secession of the priests at Memphis and Thebes, by placing members of his own family in these positions.

    At Tanis and Bubastis—the two great Delta cities at this time—Osorkon II built extensively, using stone removed from the city of Pi-Ramesse, constructed years before in the reign of *Ramesses II. At Bubastis, the archaeologist Naville excavated a great granite doorway that was of particular interest because it was decorated with reliefs depicting royal events, including the jubilee festival celebrated by Osorkon II in Year 22 of his reign.

    The most dramatic discovery from his reign was his burial chamber in the royal tombs at Tanis, which contained his magnificent sarcophagus, canopic jars and funerary statuettes. The quartzite chest that housed his canopic jars was re-used from the Middle Kingdom; the four canopic jars which had stored the king's mummified viscera were finely carved in limestone. The tomb had been opened twice in antiquity, first to receive the burial of Prince Amen-Re Hornakht (probably the son of Osorkon II), whose quartzite sarcophagus was also found there by the Professor Pierre Montet, and secondly, when it was ransacked by tomb-robbers.

BIBL. Montet, P. La necropole de Tanis: les constructions et le tombeau d'Osorkon II. Paris: 1947; Kitchen, K.A. 3rd Int. pp. 313-26; Naville, E. The Festival-Hall of Osorkon II in the Great Temple of Bubastis. London: 1892.

Biographical Dictionary of Ancient Egypt by Rosalie and Antony E. David

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(reigned c. 874–850 BC)

   Throne name Usimaatre setepenamun. Epithet meryamun sibast. Son of Takelot I of Dynasty 22 and Kapes. He continued the dynastic policy of putting sons in key positions, installing Sheshonq as high priest of Ptah in Memphis and Nimlot as high priest of Heryshef in Herakleopolis and later high priest of Amun in Karnak. He erected a festival hall in Bubastisto celebrate his jubilee. He was buried at Tanis, and hisintact tomb was rediscovered in 1939.

   See also Takelot II.

Historical Dictionary Of Ancient Egypt by Morris L. Bierbrier