Queen Hatshepsut of the 18th dynasty is one of the few female pharaohs of Egypt.  She was the daughter of Thutomse I and his Queen Ahmose.  When her father died, her step brother Thutomse II took over.  After he died the next male in the family was too young so Hatshepsut took over.  The two ruled together and then she appointed herself to Pharaoh.  She was interested in trade and sent ships out to bring back exotic goods.  She also conducted many expeditions which made her power bigger and better, along with the power of Egypt.

    Hatshepsut was known as the productive and industrial person,  her reign was one of the most different than any other.  She was experimental and had some of the most unique art of all Egypt. One of her works was her Legend of Divine Birth.

    Hatshepsut mysteriously disappeared possibly around 1458 BC.  When Thutomse III came back into reign her mummy was never found, and her name and images were lost forever.

Hatshepsut, female pharaoh of Egypt

    This great temple was built in -1550 in a place called Deir el-Bahari, Egypt.  It took fifteen years to build by man.  This building was used as an Egyptian tomb and was made by cutting the stone.  This temple is colonnaded terraces set against high cliffs.

    Hatshepsut designed this temple and was one of the most beautiful monuments of ancient Egypt.  She had the help of a man named Senenmut who was her architect.  The temple, also known as the "Sacred or Sacreds,"  was made out of rock and was approached by two sphinxes 121 feet wide, which lead to a very large gateway that was destroyed over the years.
 
 

    These are pictures of the Temple of Hatshepsut, they show the outside formation, the carvings inside and pictures on the walls.

    The temple had three terraces which were linked by ramps and divided by columns.  The walls had scenes of Hatshepsut's accomplishments as a pharaoh.  She also recorded the expedition of Punt and her Divine birth.  There were also large statues of Hatshepsut that have been destroyed.
 

    Hatshepsut included a rock cut shrine to Amun, a shrine to Hathor located in the southern part of the temple, and one for the God, Anubis located at the northern end.  She also included a chapel for her parents located in the upper terraces.  Hatshepsut said that she built her temple as a garden to her father, Amun, and it's gardens contained exotic trees from Punt.

    Perhaps the reason that Hatshepsut and her stories have disappeared was because her claim to be pharaoh and not just a claim disturbed the Egyptians' concept of divine pharaoh.  But her unique temple, which was built in her honor, still remains as a symbol of her greatness.
 
 

This is a hallway with many pictures telling stories and expeditions.
 
 

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