Hatshepsut - Bob Brier

Updated 11/04/2014

Here is a wonderful introduction on You Tube to Hatshepsut by "my man" Bob Brier.

Known by many as "Mr Mummy" for his extensive work on mummies and the mummification process, Bob Brier is more than just a mummy- man.

In 2001 he released a series of lectures entitled "The History of Ancient Egypt" through the Teaching Company. This was to be my first introduction on the history of Egypt (in lecture format) and is an excellent source of information for beginners (although a bit outdated now).

Bob's teaching style, passion and knowledge has been a great influence to me and no doubt countless others who have been fortunate enough to own a copy on tape (yes tape!), CD or MP3.

Here is a link to all 6 parts of the "Hatshepsut" lecture on You Tube.

Furthermore "Hatshepsut" is only one of many subject matters in the series (50 in total if my memory serves me well), so you may find his lectures on Akhenaten, Tutankhamun, Sneferu and others equally as interesting.

Lectures on YouTube are posted by Nilevalleytrevelcom. Should they be removed due to copyright, then i will remove the link altogether.

Regards,
Stuart

The Egyptian Theban Desert Portfolio

The Egyptian Theban Desert Portfolio

This is a great photographic resource featuring many Upper Egyptian sites. Photographic credits go to Yarko Kobylecky from museum photography (click the above link).

Particularly interesting (to me) is the section on Luxor Temple Block Fragments.

Regards,
Stuart

Hatshepsut - Online Documentation - Jane Akshar

Essential to the future of this blog are the available resources i am able to find around the Internet. These resources are work of others. Although i am on a learning curve- i have a duty to provide factually correct resources so that the information i provide can be used for serious study.

Any researcher of Hatshepsut will therefore be interested in Jane's Document Store. Here you will find the following work:

Fate of Seth in the Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el Bahri by Andrzej Cweik

The Scene of “Going round the wall” on the North Wall of the Portico of the Birth (Deir el Bahri) by Andrzej Cweik and Marta Sankiewicz

Red, yellow and pink. Ideology of skin hues at Deir el-Bahri by Andrzej Cweik


Explanation of “Red Yellow and Pink” by Andrzej Cweik (in MS Word format)

Cryptogram Uraeus Frieze in the Hatshepsut Temple at Deir el-Bahari by Marta Sankiewicz

My thanks to Jane Askshar (author of Luxor News) for this fantastic assortment of highly valuable information. The authors of the above work are those who are directly involved in work at Deir el Bahri.

I will pass on my thanks to Andrzej and Marta for producing this work. There are other documents available online and i will share all of these. Due to the high concentration of information on Jane's Document Store, i will hold off for a while.


If anyone else comes across similar work then please be sure to let me know.


Thank you Jane, Andrzej and Marta.

Stuart

Hatshepsut Name Variations

In a recent post i wanted to highlight the variations of the name of Hatshepsut. Since then i have been able to review much more material and have found more variants.

This post will be used to list the variations i find myself (and one's pointed out by you also) in the hope that the information may be useful to others who wish to find information on the internet and in books.

Remember that my use of "Hatshepsut" is my choice, perhaps yours too. However we will only be afforded limited "hits" from search engines and they will usually be in English. Some of the most influential information on Hatshepsut is not written in English or available in the UK.

Here's the list- to be updated as we go:

Birth Name:

1. Hatshepsut
2. Hatshepsu
3. Hatchepsut
4. Hatchepsout
5. Hatschepsut
6. Hatasu
7. Hatshepsowe
8. Hatshepsitou
9. Hatschepsowet
10. Hatshepsowet
11. Hatshopsitu
12. Hatsjepsoet
13. Amunneitgori
14. Amenenthe
15. Numt- Amen
16. Amessis

Throne Name:

1. Maat-ka-re
2. Maat-ka-ra
3. Maatkara
4. Maatkare
5. Makere
6. Ramarka
7. Ramaka
8. Ramaaka
9. Kamara

Regards,
Stuart

Hatshepsut's 8th Pylon - the BEFORE photo

Egypt: Karnak
Originally uploaded by Brooklyn Museum

The 8th Pylon at Karnak. Started by Hatshepsut sits amongst many years of debris.

The statues have not yet to been freed of their surrounding debris and many hieroglyphs on the pylon remain hidden.

This lovely photo comes from the Brooklyn Museum Archives.

See the difference 100 years makes in my previous article on the 8th pylon.

Regards,

Stuart

Hatshepsut in Bournemouth - Part 2

In a recent post (Hatshepsut in Bournemouth), I wanted to highlight an Ancient Egypt Magazine article. The article in question, written by Stephanie Roberts was not replicated in my last post and will not be here (due to copyright) but i will offer more information here.

The relief depicts two pharaohs, side by side. The pharaoh to the right is distinguished by his cartouche. This pharaoh is Menkheperre Thutmose III. The pharaoh on the left is distinguished by the (all too familiar) mostly erased cartouche. This is Maatkare Hatshepsut.

Hatshepsut and Thutmose III are cut off from the waist down. They face right (their left), apparently within a canopy, possibly on a boat. Both hold a crook in their left hands (arms are bent at the elbow) and wear the blue crown. Behind them (mainly Hatshepsut) a large fan can easily be seen. The relief is housed within a wooden frame/case.

After reading the article a number of times, i contacted Stephanie. Stephanie was able to confirm that her journey is not over, yet continues in a positive manner. The aim for Stephanie in writing the article would be to both share the relief and also to embark on a journey to locate the origin of the relief.

Deir el Bahri is one of a number of potential sites which a relief like this may have originated from. Perhaps a chance find may prove fruitful:

"On the back of the case is what looks like a page from an old note book. There are several names here that are difficult to read but there is also a rough map showing the top tier of Dier el Bahri. It shows the two ramps, the granite arch and the niched facade at the back of the upper tier. I am sure this is where the relief was discovered by Henry Danby Seymour early in the 1800s"

No conclusions can be reached by the information mentioned thus far, but as with many things relating to Ancient Egypt, patience is always the key. I wish you well, Stephanie. Thank you for offering further information and good luck.

Regards,
Stuart

Is there a life outside the Hatshepsut Project?

The real answer is "barely". Don't get me wrong i love it (and wouldn't change it for the world) but even when pursuing other hobbies of mine, the Hatshepsut Project is never far away.

Since my (only) trip to Egypt in 2008, I've been able to start a number of projects, which are all at various stages of development. Studying photographs was the first of those hobbies. We (my wife and I) took many photos in Upper Egypt. I am still studying those photographs today.

As i use Flickr so often to share other peoples photographs to use on my blog, it became evident that i should share my own catalogue of photographs so that others can have the opportunity to benefit from them.

Subsequent visits to Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, Birmingham Museum, Highclere Castle, The British Museum and the Thames Embankment have added to my collection of photos.

I wish to share these photographs to anyone who has an interest in Egypt. I will continue to add to my Flickr account as i go.

I will discuss further "projects" at a later date.

Regards,
Stuart

Hatshepsut Article - "Redating the reign of Hatshepsut"

THE OSTRACON, the Journal of the Egyptian Study Society VOLUME 12, NUMBER 2; AUTUMN 2001.

Article by William D. Petty, with Translations by John Sarr.

Redating the Reign of Hatshepsut

A very interesting article.

Regards
Stuart

Ancient Egypt Magazne - Hatshepsut in Bournemouth, UK

Ancient Egypt Magazine, Volume 10, No.3, Issue 57, Pages 20-24.

Entitled "A Relief of Hatshepsut and Thutmose III in Bournemouth" this is a wonderful article by Stephanie Roberts.

The relief in question is housed at the Bournemouth Natural Science Society and has an air of mystery surrounding it. Where did it come from? What exactly does it depict and what is missing? Also, how did it get to Bournemouth?

I hope to report more about this intriguing article in the future.

Regards,
Stuart

Building a Pharaoh's Ship - Documentary

Ever wondered what one of the ships depicted at Deir el Bahri (Punt reliefs) looked like in real life?
If so,then this documentary (on pbs.org) should prove interesting. A team set out to build a replica of one of Hatshepsut's ships which they intended to actually sail.

Did they succeed? Take a look for yourselves. Should you have issues with the video content they provide a full transcript.

(Aired January 12, 2010 on PBS)

Regards,
Stuart

Hatshepsut Photos - National Geographic

A selection of Hatshepsut related photos appear on the National Geographic website.

The colour can still be seen on the sphinx (6th picture) which is remarkable considering the time which has passed since its completion.

It's funny how you have to paint your house once a year (or every few years), yet the Egyptians managed to create painted sculptures and wall reliefs which still have their original pigment today!

Regards,
Stuart

Ahmose Pen Nekhbet

Ahmose Pen-Nekhbet was an official who served under a number of Pharaohs in the Early New Kingdom. His tomb, (EK2) at El Kab (osirisnet) houses his biography (reshafim). And what a guy he was. He held various titles, fought for Egypt and names himself as Tutor to Neferure:

"The divine consort, the Great King's Wife, Makere, triumphant, repeated honors to me. I reared her eldest daughter, the Royal Daughter, Nefrure, triumphant, while she was a child upon the breast ........."

(from the "his biography" link, above)

Maat-ka-Ra Hatschepsut has a full page on Ahmose - go to: Persons>Pennechbet

Regards,
Stuart

Hatshepsut - Palace of Ma'at (Karnak)

Karnak Temple
Originally uploaded by sdhaddow

The Palace of Ma'at (Egyptian goddess of Truth, Justice and Order, amongst others is yet another of Hatshepsut's building projects within the temple complex of Karnak.

Hatshepsut's images have been removed, but as can be seen in the above image by sdhaddow.

Her cartouche can be easily seen above the head of the falcon god (to the left).

This scene, plus others can still be seen today in the Karnak complex. Karnak is the second most important site in Egypt (Djeser Djeseru at Deir el Bahri being the most important) for the study of Hatshepsut "in stone" . Perhaps it is just as important as Deir el Bahri. Certainly both of these sites are an absolute MUST for Hatshepsut enthusiasts.

For further information on the Palace of Ma'at - visit Digital Karnak

Regards,
Stuart

Hatshepsut, Hatschepsut or Hatshepsowe?

I have always gone on record suggesting that whatever version of the name of Hatshepsut you wish to use is fine. You are- after all- talking about the same person, no matter which choice of spelling suits you. The same goes for place names and most things Ancient Egypt.

Although as a general rule i still subscribe to the above approach - i have since been able to test this and have noticed that the approach does have flaws.

Consider the countries that have reports on Ancient Egypt (it may be easier to just list those which do not). I will narrow it down to the name "Hatshepsut" for the purpose of this post.

Now consider that not all reporters are comfortable with the spelling "Hatshepsut". For example, Dr. Karl Leser runs the best Hatshepsut site on the web. German born, Dr Leser is more comfortable using the spelling "Hatschepsut". Further websites outside the UK have other spellings including "Hatshepsowe" (there will also be more variants).

The conclusion would be that in order to get the most varied results, it may be best to consider all versions as important as each other. In order to have a level of consistency in writing - it is advisable to go with one spelling of a name.

Most search engines will try to help you. When it comes to more scholarly materials it is always best to vary spellings. These places tend to want specific information and do not accept spelling variations.

This may or may not help you, but i am finding it occasionally useful myself.

Regards,
Stuart