Tag: hatshepsut

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Egyptian Artifacts

Foundation Deposits at Hatshepsut’s Mortuary Temple

When the ancient Egyptians π“†Žπ“π“€€π“π“ͺ built 𓐍𓂀𓅱𓋴𓀧 any type of structure or building 𓉐, they would put objects in the foundation as a ceremonial practice. Hatshepsut’s π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺ temple at Deir el-Bahri 𓂦𓂋𓂦π“₯𓉐 had at least fourteen π“Ž†π“½ foundation deposits, and eight 𓏿 of them were found by the MET when the team from the museum was excavating the temple 𓂦𓂋𓂦π“₯𓉐.

Inside the foundation deposits, ointment jars (like from my post earlier this week), pottery containing food, linen 𓍱 cloth, reed mats, model tools, and meat offerings π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ𓏏𓏔𓏦 were found. The offerings π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ𓏏𓏔𓏦 were placed at significant points around the perimeter of the building. The picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 you are looking at is a reconstruction of the foundation deposit as it was found when it was being excavated at Deir el-Bahri 𓂦𓂋𓂦π“₯𓉐.

It’s so cool to have a glance as to how some of these objects were found by archaeologists!

Foundation deposits are so interesting because they contain every-day type objects (usually with royal cartouches inscribed on them) that give Egyptologists a glance into the life of the “regular” ancient Egyptians π“†Žπ“π“€€π“π“ͺ!

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Egyptian Artifacts

“Small Kneeling Statue of Hatshepsut”

Nicole (me) with Hatshepsut!

Here I am with a small π“ˆ–π“†“π“‹΄π“…© β€œKneeling Statue of Hatshepsut.” This statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ is in the β€œHatshepsut π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺ Room” at the MET – aka Gallery 115, which is my absolute favorite room in any museum I have ever been to! I love the details on this statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ – especially the black π“†Žπ“…“ paint 𓇨𓂋𓅱𓏭𓏸𓏦 around the eyes 𓁹𓏏𓏦!

Small State of Hatshepsut that shows the painted details around the eyes

This statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ is made out of black/pink granite π“…“π“Œ³π“π“ŽΆ (also called red granite by geologists)! The black π“†Žπ“…“ and pink granite π“…“π“Œ³π“π“ŽΆ is traditionally found in Aswan π“‹΄π“ƒΉπ“ˆ–π“Œπ“²π“Š– (Upper Egypt 𓇓). In the USA, black π“†Žπ“…“ and pink granite is commonly found in Nevada and other western 𓋀𓏏𓏭 states!

While not as grand as some of her other statues π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύπ“ͺ that adorned her temple π“‰Ÿπ“π“‰ at Deir el-Bahri 𓂦𓂋𓂦π“₯𓉐, this one makes quite an impression. There are at least eight of these statues π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύπ“ͺ, and many of them are in the MET. They were most likely used to line the upper court at her temple π“‰Ÿπ“π“‰, and are thought to be intended for her Heb Sed festival (a festival used to celebrate 30 π“Ž†π“Ž†π“Ž† years of rule, and then celebrated every three 𓏼 years after the initial 30 π“Ž†π“Ž†π“Ž†). Hatshepsut π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺ, ever the Pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 to break from tradition, instead celebrated hers in the 16th π“Ž†π“Ώ year of her rule!

In this statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ, Hatshepsut π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺ is kneeling and is seen holding the nemset jar π“Œ. The jar π“Œ has the djed pillar π“Š½ adorning the front. The djed pillar π“Š½ is thought to be the spine of Osiris π“Ήπ“Š¨π“€­, and it represents stability and endurance – both are attributes a Pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 needed in order to be a successful ruler π“‹Ύ!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Red Granite Statue of Hatshepsut

Nicole (me) with the Red Granite Statue of Hatshepsut at The MET

In this red granite π“…“π“Œ³π“π“ŽΆ statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ of Hatshepsut π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺ, she is represented in a kneeling position holding a nemset jar π“Œπ“Ί in each hand. This is a worshipping 𓇼𓄿𓀒/offering π“Š΅π“π“Šͺ𓏏𓏔𓏦 position, and hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ at the base of the statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ say that she is offering plants to Amun π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“€­.

In this statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ, Hatshepsut π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺ is depicted in the White Crown π“„€π“‹‘ of Upper Egypt 𓇓 (the southern 𓇔𓅱𓏏 region of Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š–). Egyptologists/archaeologists have inferred that this statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ would have been placed on the southern 𓇔𓅱𓏏 side of her mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahri 𓂦𓂋𓂦π“₯𓉐, hence why the White Crown π“„€π“‹‘ is on her head 𓁢𓏺.

Hatshepsut wearing the White Crown of Upper Egypt

One thing I love about this particular statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ of Hatshepsut 𓇳𓁦𓂓 is that her Horus Name, β€œWosretkau π“„Šπ“‹΄π“π“‚“π“‚“π“‚“β€, is on the back of the statue! The name π“‚‹π“ˆ– β€œWosretkau π“„Šπ“‹΄π“π“‚“π“‚“π“‚“β€ translates to β€œThe Mighty of the Kas” or β€œThe Mighty of the Souls.”

Hatshepsut’s Horus Name, β€œWosretkau.”

Usually her given name β€œHatshepsut π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺβ€œ or her throne name β€œMaatkare π“‡³π“¦π“‚“β€œ are the names that are written in inscriptions π“Ÿπ“›π“₯ and fragments of these names are also on the statue π“„šπ“ˆ–π“π“­π“€Ύ, but they are badly damaged and difficult to photograph!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Ovoid Stone of Hatshepsut

This piece is known as an β€œOvoid Stone” or a β€œHammering Stone” and was probably used as a type of tool during building construction. Also, it’s two 𓏻 of my favorite things: rocks π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“‚‹π“ˆ™π“¦ and Hatshepsut π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺ! It seems like such a random and underwhelming piece, but most of the time those are my favorites!

Let’s read some hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ!

π“ŠΉπ“π“„€(𓇳𓁦𓂓)π“Ήπ“ˆ–π“Šƒπ“…“π“ π“§π“Šƒπ“›π“†‘π“Šƒπ“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“‡³π“Ί –

β€œThe Great Goddess, Maatkare, she made the monument for her father, Amun-Re…”

π“Έπ“†‘π“Έπ“±π“ˆ™π“·π“Έπ“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“‚¦π“›π“‚¦π“…±π“‰π“Ήπ“ˆ–π“‹Ήπ“˜

β€œβ€¦at the stretching of the cord 𓍱 over the Holiest of Holies Amun, May She Live!”

The β€œStretching of the Cord” was part of the foundation ritual that occurred when a building was constructed in ancient Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š–. It involved nailing four stakes into the ground at the four corners of the building and then linking them with a cord.

Some of the hieroglyphs π“ŠΉπ“Œƒπ“ͺ were hard to see in my picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 so I hope this translation accurate!

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Egyptian Artifacts

Hatshepsut

Nicole with the white limestone statue of Hatshepsut at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC

Hatshepsut π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺ is my favorite Egyptian Pharaoh π“‰π“‰»! Hatshepsut π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺ as not only the most successful female pharaoh π“‰π“‰», but in my opinion, is one of the most successful pharaohs π“‰π“‰»π“¦ in all of Egyptian history. She ruled for 20 π“Ž†π“Ž† years, commissioned many building projects (her mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahri π“‚¦π“‚‹π“‚¦π“₯𓉐 being the most magnificent) and sent an expedition to the land of Punt  π“Šͺπ“ƒΊπ“ˆ–π“π“ˆ‰ . 

Hatshepsut π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺ is her given name and means β€œForemost of the Noble Women.” Her throne name, which is the name she took when she became pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 is Maatkare π“‡³π“¦π“‚“ which translates to β€œTruth is the Soul of Re.” Most pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 had five 𓏾 names, but the given name and throne name are the most popular to find in inscriptions! 

Ever since my Nonno told me that a woman once ruled π“‹Ύ Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š– as pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, I have been obsessed with Hatshepsut π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“ŽΉπ“π“„‚π“π“€Όπ“ͺ!