Shoshenq II

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Shoshenq II: a shadowy figure of the 22nd Dynasty

Shoshenq II is a name scholars use for several possible kings of the 22nd Dynasty. The most discussed is Heqakheperre Shoshenq IIa, but the designation is also linked to Tutkheperre Shoshenq IIb, Maatkheperre Shoshenq IIc, and Shoshenq Q, the High Priest of Amun. Because the surviving evidence is tangled, the exact identity and place in the dynasty are debated.

The best-attested king, Heqakheperre Shoshenq IIa, is known only from his burial goods found in Tanis (NRT III) by Pierre Montet in 1939. His throne name is Heqakheperre Setepenre, and his birth name is Shoshenq Meryamun. The burial included a falcon-headed silver coffin, a gold funerary mask, and many jewel-encrusted bracelets and pectorals. He likely died in his fifties, and the evidence suggests he was about 169 cm tall. The cause of death may have been a severe head wound leading to septic infection.

The original tomb was damaged by water, and Heqakheperre Shoshenq IIa’s body and many items were moved to NRT III for reburial. Some objects appear to have been added later for the reburial, rather than belonging to the original burial. Because the only secure references to Heqakheperre Shoshenq IIa come from these burial items, scholars have argued about his true identity and exact dating.

Many theories have linked Heqakheperre Shoshenq IIa to Shoshenq Q, the High Priest of Amun, while others reject that connection. The idea of a three-king sequence between Osorkon I and Takelot I (including IIa, IIb, IIc) is debated and not universally accepted. Some view Heqakheperre Shoshenq IIa as a very short-lived ruler, perhaps only one or two years, while others place him differently within the late 9th century BC. There are also proposals that Heqakheperre Shoshenq IIa might be the same person as Hedjkheperre Shoshenq I, but this identification is contentious and not widely accepted.

In short, Shoshenq II is a name attached to several possible figures, with the most concrete evidence centered on Heqakheperre Shoshenq IIa from Tanis. His exact identity, reign length, and place in the dynasty remain uncertain and widely debated among scholars.