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The Life of Hatshepsut

Hatshepsut Birth name: Hatshepsut ("Foremost of the Noble Ladies") Throne name: Maatkare ("Truth is the Soul of Re") Rule: 1498 - 1483 BC (queen of the 4th king of the 18th dynasty; regent of the 5th king; self-declared pharaoh after that! New Kingdom) Relatives: Tuthmosis I (father), Tuthmosis II (half-brother/husband), Tuthmosis III (step-son)

Born in the 15th century BC, Hatshepsut, daughter of Tuthmose I and Aahmes, both of royal ancestry; she was the favorite of their three children. Her opportunity to gain the throne upon the death of her father became more evident, following the death of her two brothers. The idea of having a female pharaoh was unprecedented, and defies all the customs and norms. When Hatshepsut’s father passed away, his son from a commoner called Moutnofrit, Thutmose II, ascended the throne. His reign lasted for only three or four years; he died from a fatal skin disease- as shown from the markings on his mummy.

Hatshepsut, his half sister and wife, had no offsprings from him; her daughter Nefrure is believed to be the daughter of her lover Senmut. Although Thutmose II had a son through a commoner known as Isis. His son, Thutmose III, was at a very young age, and therefore, Hatshepsut was allowed to reign as a queen until her stepson reaches a decent age to claim his throne.

Hatshepsut was not the type of queens who would sit back and wait for her stepson- nephew to take her place. Being a charismatic, independent, strong beautiful lady, and the favorite daughter of a popular pharaoh; she was able to fill her place as a pharaoh, command and take control of the kingdom. Her reign lasted for about 15 years, until her death in 1458 BC. She left behind more monuments and artistic works than any Egyptian queen that preceded her.

Hatshepsut, as the first female king, had many hurdles to overcome during her reign. Her throne was vulnerable to the threat of revolt, especially as her nephew came of age; eager to claim back his throne. Using her natural wit, she came up with an idea that would quell the fears of her people of being ruled by a woman. She decided to address, and identify herself as a “King” in all statuary and relief during her years of reign. To publicly confirm that, she started dressing in the traditional garment of male rulers: the shendyt kilt, the nemes headdress with uraeus and khat headcloth, and the false beard.

Although Egypt did not enter any wars during Hatshepsut’s reign; she proved her dominance by ordering expeditions to the land of Punt, which is now known as Somalia. The expeditions were an attempt for land expansion, search of Ivory, animals, spices, gold and aromatic trees that Egyptian desired and sought after. The expeditions were documented in the hieroglyphic inscription on the walls of Deir el Bahari  (Djeser Djeseru) Temple in Thebes. Along with the inscriptions, carved representations of the journey to punt, including humorous exaggerated images of the Puntites. The Punt queen is depicted having folds of fat hanging over her knees and elbows, her back is crooked and she has an aquiline nose.

In addition to building temples and ordering for the construction of Tombs, Hatshpsut used two devices to ligitmate her position as Egypt’s Pharoah. The first was to emphasize not only her relationship to Thutmose I; but also being the favorite child for the popular ruler. She also claimed that she had been chosen by her father, over her two brothers and her half-brother to take the throne of Egypt after his death. in her temple, there are inscriptions of the words of Khnum, the divine potter who sculpted the forms of the gods: I will make you to be the first of all living creatures, you will rise as king of the Upper and of Lower Egypt, as your father Amon, who loves you, did ordain This inscription is a direct assertion to her claim of a dirct divine linage. Hatshepsut claims Amon is her father; on the walls of her tomb, there’s an inscription of the story detailing the night the night the Theban god Amon-Re approached Aahmes( Hatshepsut’s mother) in the form of Tuthmose I. ” Amon took the form of the noble King Tuthmose and found the queen sleeping in her room. When the pleasant odours that proceeded from him announced his presence she woke. he gave her his heart and showed himself in his godlike splendour. When he approached the queen she wept for joy at his strength and beauty and he gave her his love...” This publicity helped strengthen Hatshepsut’s position. But as her bitter nephew- stepson grew older, he became more and more resentful to his lack of power and authority in the kingdom. After her death, Tuthmose III ordered the systematic erasure of Hatshepsut’s name from any monument she had built, including her temple at Deir el Bahri. Since most of the images of her depicted the queen as a male pharaoh; it was convenient to simply change the name “ Hatshepsut” to Tuthmose I, ii, III. Hatshepsut’s mummy was also stolen, and her tomb was destroyed. Only one of the canopic jars remained, the one that contained her liver. Monuments and Building Projects •	The temple of Hatshepsut As a ruler of Egypt, Hatshepsut launched building projects that were far more numerous than any other king or queen that ruled the Kingdom. In the conquered province of Nubia, she built a number of monumental sites in Qasr Ibrim, Semna, Faras, and Buhen. In Egypt she erected a series of obelisks at the temple of Karnak; and replaced it with the “ Palace of Maat”- which is a rectangular complex that includes a series of small rooms with a large central court to keep the “Central Bark”, which is a small ceremonial boat. The walls of the palace contained paintings that depicts Hatshepsut and Tuthmose III. Hatshepsut’s temple (ancient name djeser-djeseru “the most sacred of sacred places”), at Al Deir el Bahry, remains the most popular and impressive of all her achievements. The compex was built just north of the Middle Kingdom temple of Mentuhotep Nebhepetre in the bay of cliffs known as Deir el-Bahri. Its architectural plan was influenced by the style of the earlier temple at Deir el-Bahri, but Hatshepsut’s temple was different in its design and artistic carved reliefs. She chose to locate her temple, in the sacred valley of the Theban Kings, with the Temple of Amun on the eastern bank. The tomb of Hatshepsut was located in a further distance from the temple, on the other side of the mountain-which had the tomb description (KV20) in the valley of the Kings.

The Temple was built on three terraced levels, on the first central zone there are columns on the southern and northern sides of a pathway that leads to the second courtyard. At the northern side of the court, there’s a huge statue of the queen that had been reconstructed from the fragments that remained of the older statue. On the porch of the lower terrace of the temple, there are shallow carvings on the wall. The carvings depict the transportation of two granite obelisks from Aswan, the shipment was escorted by priests, soldiers, bearers and musicians. Queen Hatshepsut is then depicted offering the obelisks to god Amun at Karnak during a dedicational ceremony. On the other side of the porch, Hatshepsut is shown in three different scenes: the first one depicts her on a boat fishing in a ritual scene with the carving of birds. The second scene includes the queen offering god Amun statues and driving calves. The third scene Hatshepsut is portrayed as a sphinx with a body of a lion. The bottom of the corridor walls leading to the second-level terrace, is covered with carvings of crouching lions. The temple also includes a small chapel of godess Hathor; with many representations of Hatshepsut being glorified by the goddess in the form of a cow. In the southern zone of the temple, there are carved scenes of Hatshepsut’s famous expedition to Punt. One of the scenes show a village –in Punt- with dome shaped houses, and ladders to access them. There are beautiful painting of different animals and birds all around the walls. Men are depicted cutting trees, and carrying treasures of the new colony, to be taken to the homeland Egypt. Ity, the queen of Punt, is represented in the famous relief as a fat, ugly looking lady. The temple also includes a sanctuary for god Amun, in the center of the upper court. The sanctuary consists of two chambers showing scenes of Hatshepsut with Tuthmose III, and her daughter Neferure worshipping several gods. •	The tomb of Hatshepsut and Tuthmosis I in the Valley of the Kings

Tomb Kv20 in the Valley of the Kings, located on the west bank of Luxor, is believed to have been the original tomb of Tuthmosis I. The tomb has been discovered over one century ago. Howard Carter, the discoverer of Tutankhamun’s tomb, succeeded in the discovery of a wide variety of inscribed pieces; the fact that they were inscribed with Hatshepsut’s name suggests that she was the original owner of he tomb.

Other than the foundation deposit found on at the entrance of the tomb- inscribed for Hatshepsut, carter found numerous other fragmented pieces. They included: funerary furniture, fractured stone vessels inscribed with the name Ahmose-Nofretri, Tuthmosis I, and Queen Hatshepsut.

course, he also discovered the sarcophagus of Tuthmosis I, originally built and inscribed for Hatshepsut (now in Boston), a second sarcophagus intended for Hatshepsut herself, as well as a canopic chest also inscribed for her. Neither Tuthmosis I nor Hatshepsut’s body were found in the tomb. Until today, Hatshepsut’s body remains missing; on the other hand, Tuthmosis I’s body was discovered in the Royal Cache of mummies, located in Deir el Bahri zone.

The Voyage to Punt

Hatshepsut’s expedition to the Land of Punt is considered the most important, and yet the most mysterious accomplishments of her reign. The expedition was initiated during her 7th year in the throne, and lasted until the 8th.

A Scene from Hatshepsut's Temple Related to the Punt Expedition

The land of Punt had a legenedary reputation, attributed by the description in the Book of the Dead as being the “Land of God”: "The Lands of the Gods see thee, they could write [concerning thee]; the Deserts of Punt could count thee." Hatshepsut claimed that her army was the first to explore the Land of God. But, this claim has been proven wrong; ancient tradition required each king to undertake that trip since the 4th dynasty. The son of king Khufu, Cheops, took his army to the same area. Another experdition to Punt was mentioned during the reign of “Sahu-Ra” in the early 5th dynasty; when trade began between Egypt and the land of Punt. The same voyage was taken during the reign of “Pepy II” during the 6th dynasty. Even the 9 year old king, Tutankhamun, sent his caravan to explore. A letter was found during an excavation for the remains of the boy king’s era, it was sent from the caravan leader “ Harkhuf” describing a dancing dwarf that he was bringing back home from Punt. During the reigns of Mentuhotep II and Mentuhotep III of the 11th dynasty, and Sensostris I and Amenmhat II of the 12th dynasty; there had been recorded works and carvings of the successful expeditions to the land of Punt. During the 12th dynasty a canal had been dug that joins the Nile and the Red Sea to facilitate the ships mobility from Egypt to the land of Punt. After the death of Hatshepsut, trade to punt continued to blossom during the 18th century under Tuthmose IiI and his successor Horemheb. The last king to record an expedition there, was Ramses IiI during the 20th dynasty.

Hatshepsuts death and burial

Prior to her death, Hatshepsut decided to be buried with her father TuthmoseI in his tomb in the Valley of the Kings. The location was just behind the cliffs of el Deir el Bahary temple. Thus the rituals performed for her Ka would rise above her tomb, and allow her Ka (spirit) to rise above and witness the sunrise each morning. Until today, the circumstances of Hatshepsut’s death remain ambiguous. The last mention of the queen Pharoah was during her 17th regal year. Thotmose III arranged for the funeral ceremony, he was shown at one of the inscriptions in the Karnak temple wearing the Whit Crown, next to him are two statues of the queen wearing the Red Crown, and taking the established Osirian position. Shortly after retrieving his kingship, Thotmose III started to flaunt his power, following the same path as former queen. He claimed authority of the lands on a relief that was dedicated to the war god “Monto”; displaying his physical power and how he could slay 7 lions and capture 12 wild bulls by himself. He then prepared a strong army, with advanced war tactics and weaponry; and led 17 campaigns in Nubia, Syria, Palestine, Gaza- maintaining Egypt’s control over the Eastern provinces.

The destruction of Hatshepsuts monuments

Years after her death, Thotmose III began the process of the defacement of Hatshepsut’s monuments. He ordered the craftsmen to wipe out her name, any inscriptions depicting her reign; even her obelisks were surrounded with walls. Hatshepsut’s name was either replaced by Thotmose III or by those of Tuthmose I or II. This was done to emphasize the continuity and successiveness of the three pharaohs rule without being interrupted by Hatshepsut’s reign. Hatshepsut’s statues were shattered, thrown in the Nile or burned down. Statues of her Ka, were smashed in the nose and the eyes; so that the queen’s spirit would not be able to see or breath in the afterlife. The royal cobra that was placed on the deceased queen’s forehead as a symbol of power, was dismantled to deprive her of any source of supermacy.

The artistic monuments of the queen’s reigns were either destroyed, or reformed and associated to Thostmose III. Excavations proved that the golden gates and stones that were used to ornament Thotmose III orchard were taken from Hatshepsut’s temple; as her name was found inscribed on its base.