The Coffin of Sequenere-Tao II

Sequenenre-Tao II was found in what was most probably his original coffin, the style is consistent with that dating to the 17th Dynasty. The surface of the coffin had originally been gilded, but all gold had been scrapped off by robbers. Although only one coffin remains, the king would most certainly have been buried within a nest of coffins.

The mummy was in a much worse state - when the mummy was originally examined it was found to be a very badly damaged, disarticulated skeleton, also '... a strong odour, a rather foul, oily smell' came from the mummy.

The state of Sequenenre's mummy may be due to the way he died - his skull shows that he met a very violent death - at least five seperate wounds are clearly visible. His body had not been straighten out in the customary position - which has been taken to mean that he died and was embalmed on the field of battle.

Who was Sequenenre Tao II?

He was the 14th king of the Theban 17th Dynasty - which was ruling alongside the 15 and 16th Hyksos Dynasties. A period of began between the co-ruling dynasties and Egypt plunged into civil war when Sequenenre Tao II received a message from Apophis ruler of the Hyksos (writing from his Delta capital Avaris) complaining that he could not sleep at night because the Hippopotami in the sacred pool at Thebes were keeping him awake with their snoring. An insult was taken and so began the campaign to remove the 'foreigners' from Egypt.

Sequenere Tao II died soon after starting the campaign against the Hyksos kings, he was followed by his son Kamose who continued the action. But it was a younger son, Ahmose I, who eventually succeeded in defeating the Hyksos, drove them from Egypt and began Egypt's glorious 18th Dynasty.