Egyptian Discoveries no. 6*: Exuberance at the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut

Pulling up in front of the magnificent temple of Queen Hatshepsut in a cloud of dust, there was an almost tangible atmosphere of excitement amongst us. Probably because of the grandeur of the place; it is huge, imposing, set against the foot of the mountain, looking as if it was carved out of the mountain by nature itself rather than built by human hands. There is also something quite different about this temple -- not only its impressive setting, its almost overwhelming presence, but, despite its size and strong structure, it looks as if a woman was involved in its design -- something a little more delicate, that touch of feminine attention to detail -- that je ne sais quoi that is the signature stamp of a woman on the design.

It is a long walk up to the foot of the stairs that lead up to the temple, and as we arrived, a jumble of colour and laughter and shouting the sheer exuberance of children's uninhibited joy came tumbling down the stairs: a moment that could not help but infect us with an added sense of anticipation as we mounted the stairs to enter the temple.

The beautiful Queen Hatshepsut (1479 - 1457 BC), known as the woman who was king, was the first great woman in recorded history: the forerunner of such figures as Cleopatra, Catherine the Great and Elizabeth I.

Her rise to power went against all the conventions of her time. She was the first wife and Queen of Thutmose II and on his death proclaimed herself Pharaoh, denying the old king's son, her nephew, his inheritance. To support her cause she claimed the God Amun-Ra spoke, saying "welcome my sweet daughter, my favourite, the king of Upper and Lower Egypt, Maatkare, Hatshepsut. Thou art the King, taking possession of the Two Lands." She dressed as a king, even wearing a false beard and the Egyptian people seem to have accepted this unprecedented behaviour.

She remained in power for twenty years and during this time the Egyptian economy flourished, she expanded trading relations and built magnificent temples as well as restoring many others. Eventually her nephew grew into a man and took his rightful place as pharaoh. The circumstances of this event are unknown and what became of Hatshepsut is a mystery.

Hatshepsut's successor became the greatest of all Pharaohs, Thutmose III, "the Napoleon of ancient Egypt." He had her name cut away from the temple walls which suggests he was not overly fond of his auntie. He even built walls -- high and close -- around the obelisks she had carved and put up in honour of the many and successful battles she waged -- and won against Egypt's enemies, so that they would not be easily visible and could not be approached and seen up close. The fact that she was able to contain the ambitions of this charismatic and wily fellow for so many years, hints at the qualities of her character.