Hatshepsut was one of the few female Pharaohs,ruling in Dynasty 18 from 1498 to 1483 BC. Her father was Tuthmosis I and she was married to her half brother Tuthmosis II. When her husband died, his heir, Tuthmosis III was a son by a secondary wife but was still only a child, so Hatshepsut became regent and ruled on his behalf for about seven years before declaring herself Pharaoh and ruling jointly with him for about 14 years.
Hatshepsut recorded that she had built her mortuary temple as "a garden for my father Amun". On the walls of the middle terrace a relief shows Amun visiting her mother, Queen Ahmose to signify that she had been deliberately conceived and chosen by Amun to be king. She was portrayed in the regalia of a king even down to the false beard, and called herself King of Upper and Lower Egypt.
Hatshepsut's Temple is partly free standing and partly rock cut nesting into the mountains behind the Valley of the Kings. The temple itself is laid out in 3 terraces, each approached by a ramp.
Hatshepsut built her mortuary temple at Deir-el-Bahri next to the funerary complex
of the first middle kingdom king Mentuhotep II.
It was designed by her close advisor Senenmut who had risen from humble origins to become chief architect and held high rank in the administration of the country, and was also rumoured to be her lover.
At the rear of each terrace is a portico protecting the reliefs carved on the rear wall.
On
the lowest level these show barges bringing Hatshepsut's
famous
obelisks from Aswan to Karnak.
On the middle level there are scenes of her divine birth to the right of the ramp and to the left are scenes of her expedition to the land of Punt.
At the entrance to the topmost level are Osiris pillars and statues of Hatshepsut. On this level were vaulted rooms on both sides of the court, dedicated to Hatshepsut and her father and Re-Horakty and Amun. There were further statues of Hatshepsut on the back wall around the original entrance to the sanctuary
Small
chapels around this top level still have the colourful murals depicting various
gods. This photograph shows Pharaoh making offerings to the gods, the light
is actually reflected into the chapel by one of the temple guardians holding
a mirror.
To the left of the main complex is a small chapel dedicated to the goddess Hathor, which has Hathor head capitals.
Many of the wall carvings depicted Hatshepsut as Pharaoh wearing male dress but many of these have been obliterated.
Although it was thought that Tuthmosis III hated his stepmother and had her name removed from her monuments, recent findings suggest that they ruled together successfully. He undertook many military campaigns, whilst she maintained the royal authority at home.
Hatshepsut
had her tomb dug in the Valley of the Kings at the eastern corner at the foot
of the cliffs. The intention seems to have been for a passage to be driven under
the rock to locate the burial chamber under the sanctuary of the queens temple
at the other side of the cliffs, but the workmen hit bad rock and the tomb had
to turn back on itself. The burial chamber contained two yellow quartzite sarcophagi,
one inscribed for Tuthmosis I and one for Hatshepsut.
A recent find of a tooth with her cartouche has been found in a tomb belonging
to her nurse and using DNA evidence, her mummy has been rediscovered in Cairo
Museum.
