Hatshepsut Temple

Hatshepsut (1508 BC - 1458 BC) was an 18th-dynasty pharaoh who was one of the few female rulers in Ancient Egypt. Her reign was the longest of all the female pharaohs, and her funerary temple still stands at Deir-El-Bahri, a few minutes from the Valley of the Kings.

Born in the 15th century BC, she was daughter of Tuthmose I and Aahmes. When her two brothers died, she was in the unique and unprecedented position to gain the throne upon the death of her father. When Tuthmose I passed away, his son Tuthmose II, (Hatshepsut's half brother), whom she had by now married, technically ascended the throne, but for the three or four years of his reign and until his death, Hatshepsut seems to have been the driving force. Although Hatshepsut and Tuthmose II had produced no children, he had sired a son through the commoner Isis and it was this son, Tuthmose III, who was now in line for the throne. However, due to his age Hatshepsut was allowed to reign as queen dowager.

Hatshepsut did not wait for her nephew to age enough to take her place and she was able to command enough of a following to actually take control as pharaoh. She ruled for about 15 years, until her death in 1458 BC, and left behind more monuments and works of art than any Egyptian queen to come.

Upon her death, her by now very bitter nephew ordered that her statues and monuments be destroyed and reliefs of her be defaced in an attempt to wipe her from history. Her name was erased from any monuments that remained. Where the obelisk at Karnak bore her 'divine name,' Tuthmose III was afraid to destroy it for fear of invoking the wrath of the gods and so ordered it sheathed in masonry.

This is thought to be the only remaining 'intact' depiction of Hatshepsut (on the left of photo) and was probably spared from defacement because of the false name on the descriptive cartouche.

In all, Hatshepsut accomplished what no woman had before her. She ruled the most powerful, advanced civilization in the world, successfully, for twenty years. Even if there were some who resented her success, her success stands for all eternity.

In tomb KV60, Egyptologists believe they may have identified the mummy of Hatshepsut. The tomb, first discovered in 1903, contained two mummies - both female, one of which was identified as Sit-ra, a royal nurse of Hatshepsut. The remaining mummy is thought to be that of the female pharaoh. See HATSHEPSUT'S MUMMY (opens another window)

In modern times, the temple was the scene of the 1997 Luxor massacre when Islamic militants gunned down 58 foreign tourists as well as their tour guide and 3 policemen.

Home of the yacht "RHUMB DO"
	hatshepsut temple
	Hatshepsut (1508 BC - 1458 BC) was an 18th-dynasty pharaoh who was one of the few female rulers in Ancient Egypt. Her reign was the longest of all the female pharaohs, and her funerary temple still stands at Deir-El-Bahri, a few minutes from the Valley of the Kings. Born in the 15th century BC, she was daughter of Tuthmose I and Aahmes. When her two brothers died, she was in the unique and unprecedented position to gain the throne upon the death of her father. When Tuthmose I passed away, his son Tuthmose II, (Hatshepsut's half brother), whom she had by now married, technically ascended the throne, but for the three or four years of his reign and until his death, Hatshepsut seems to have been the driving force. Although Hatshepsut and Tuthmose II had produced no children, he had sired a son through the commoner Isis and it was this son, Tuthmose III, who was now in line for the throne. However, due to his age Hatshepsut was allowed to reign as queen dowager. Hatshepsut did not wait for her nephew to age enough to take her place and she was able to command enough of a following to actually take control as pharaoh. She ruled for about 15 years, until her death in 1458 BC, and left behind more monuments and works of art than any Egyptian queen to come. Upon her death, her by now very bitter nephew ordered that her statues and monuments be destroyed and reliefs of her be defaced in an attempt to wipe her from history. Her name was erased from any monuments that remained. Where the obelisk at Karnak bore her 'divine name,' Tuthmose III was afraid to destroy it for fear of invoking the wrath of the gods and so ordered it sheathed in masonry. This is thought to be the only remaining 'intact' depiction of Hatshepsut (on the left of photo) and was probably spared from defacement because of the false name on the descriptive cartouche. In all, Hatshepsut accomplished what no woman had before her. She ruled the most powerful, advanced civilization in the world, successfully, for twenty years. Even if there were some who resented her success, her success stands for all eternity. In tomb KV60, Egyptologists believe they may have identified the mummy of Hatshepsut. The tomb, first discovered in 1903, contained two mummies - both female, one of which was identified as Sit-ra, a royal nurse of Hatshepsut. The remaining mummy is thought to be that of the female pharaoh. See HATSHEPSUT'S MUMMY (opens another window) In modern times, the temple was the scene of the 1997 Luxor massacre when Islamic militants gunned down 58 foreign tourists as well as their tour guide and 3 policemen.