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Egyptian Artifacts

Sandstone Stela of Hatshepsut

I love this picture for two 𓏻 reasons: the first 𓏃 is because my Nonno took this picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of me with the Hatshepsut π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺ Stela π“Ž—π“…±π“†“π“‰Έ at the Musei Vaticani! I almost feel that this picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 represents how Nonno saw me, and I’ve never shared it until today π“‡π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“‡³ because I wanted to keep it as β€œmine.” I wish I could go back to this moment because look at the happiness π“„«π“„£ and joy π“„«π“„£ on my face! The second π“Œπ“» reason is because this Stela π“Ž—π“…±π“†“π“‰Έ of Hatshepsut π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺ is one of my absolute favorite Egyptian artifacts – it was a dream of mine to see this in person, and I’m so lucky I was able to!

I know I have posted about this stela π“Ž—π“…±π“†“π“‰Έa lot, however, today π“‡π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“‡³we are going to examine a different aspect of it! If you search “Hatshepsut” or “Vatican Museum,” you will be able to see my previous posts on this beautiful stela π“Ž—π“…±π“†“π“‰Έ!

This sandstone π“‚‹π“…±π“‚§π“π“Œ—π“ˆ™ stela π“Ž—π“…±π“†“π“‰Έ depicts Hatshepsut π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺ and Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 during their joint reign. Hatshepsut π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺ is wearing the blue (khepresh) crown π“†£π“‚‹π“ˆ™π“‹™ and is making an offering of nemset jars π“Œπ“Œπ“Œ to the god π“ŠΉ Amun-Ra π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“‡³π“Ί. Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 is wearing the White Crown π“„€π“‹‘ of Upper Egypt 𓇓! 

The stela π“Ž—π“…±π“†“π“‰Έ was meant to commemorate restoration works in West Thebes π“Œ€π“π“Š–! Many pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 would restore the work of previous rulers π“ˆŽπ“π“‹Ύπ“ͺ to demonstrate their own power and to honor the gods π“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“ŠΉ, not to honor the previous pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦! 

Another reason why restoring previous works and building lots of new buildings (which Hatshepsut π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺ did early in her reign π“ˆŽπ“π“‹Ύ), was so significant was because it meant the name π“‚‹π“ˆ– of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 (in this case, Hatshepsut) would live on since the names were part of the buildings’ inscriptions π“Ÿπ“›π“₯. All of these new projects also impressed upon the common people the economic prosperity of the Hatshepsut’s π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺ regime. This was important for her to demonstrate immediately because she was not only a female π“Šƒπ“π“‚‘π“π“ ruler π“ˆŽπ“π“‹Ύ, but she kind of pushed Thutmosis III 𓇳𓏠𓆣 to the side and named herself the legitimate pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. 

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