Here are some of the scarabs that have both the names of Hatshepsut π³π¦π and Thutmosis III π³π π£.
The three πΌ scarabs at the top are inscribed with the cartouche of Thutmosis III, π³π π£ while the scarab at the bottom has both of their cartouches. Itβs very interesting to see objects with both of their cartouches on it, and these would most likely date from their joint rule before Hatshepsut π³π¦π declared herself as the pharaoh ππ».
Something that has always been crazy to me is how detailed and beautiful π€ the inscriptions on such small objects can be! I know that the Egyptians πππππͺ used molds to make small objects a lot of the time, but the craftsmanship is incredibly impressive! Iβm such a bad artist and have zero artistic talent, so I have so much respect πππ for the people who created all of these beautiful works of art that I get to study and admire.
This is probably going to sound strange to some, but I was so excited to see the back of the Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ statue πππππΎ at the MET!
Usually when the statue πππππΎ is displayed you canβt see the back of it, but since the statue is part of the special exhibition of the 150th anniversary of the MET, itβs in a different room! The different location allowed me to gain new views of my absolute favorite piece!
I had only ever seen the back of the statue in a book π πππ that I have from the special exhibition βHatshepsut: From Queen to Pharaohβ at the MET in 2006. The back is very interesting because you can still see some of the original paint remaining (although in my photo it is difficult to see)!! The paint is a blue-green π ππ color!
My Nonno took this picture ππ ±π of the StelaΒ ππ ±ππΈΒ of HatshepsutΒ ππ ππΉππππΌπͺΒ and Thutmosis IIIΒ π³π π£Β for me! While we did see it at the Vatican Museum together, he always made sure to take a different pictureΒ ππ ±πΒ for me each time he saw it because he knew how much I love it!Β
This stela ππ ±ππΈ depicts Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ and Thutmosis III π³π π£ during their joint reign. Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ is wearing the blue crown π£πππ and making an offering of nemset jars πππ to Amun-Ra ππ ππ³πΊ. The stela ππ ±ππΈ was meant to commemorate restoration works in Thebes πππ!
The most interesting parts about this stela is that it is one of two pieces (that I know of) that contains Hatshepsutβs entire titulary in one place! The only other place I know that has all of Hatshepsutβs ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ names πππ¦ is the Obelisk at Karnak.
Letβs take a closer look at all of Hatshepsutβs ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ names πππ¦! The names πππ¦ can be found on the top two rows of hieroglyphs πΉππͺ on the bottom of the stela ππ ±ππΈ!
Horus Name: ππ΄ππππ – βWosretkauβ translates to βThe Mighty of the Kasβ or βThe Mighty of the Souls.β
Nebty Name: π π ππ³π³π³ – βWadjet renputβ translates to βFlourishing of Years.β
Golden Horus Name: π πΉπππ¦ – βNetjeret khauβ translates to βDivine of Appearances.β
Throne Name: π³π¦π – βMaatkareβ translates to βTruth is the Soul of Re.β
Birth Name: ππ ππΉππΌ – βKhnemet Amun Hatshepsutβ translates to βUnited with Amun, Foremost of the Noble Women.β This version of the Birth Name that appears on this stela is a variant of ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ. A βvariantβ is just a different way to spell out a personβs name ππ!
Iβve had this written for a while but havenβt posted it because it is very feelings-y and very different from my usual posts. I am a huge fan of the group BTS. They are a Korean boy band whose music has basically gotten me through 2020. While I love all of their music, one of their songs has really struck a chord with me because it basically puts my feelings about ancient Egypt into words. The song is called βFirst Loveβ and it is written and performed by Min Yoongi (aka SUGA). While you would expect a song with this title to be about a person, it is in fact about Yoongiβs love for the piano from a very young age and his lifelong journey with his childhood piano.
I have always called Ancient Egypt my βfirst loveβ so when I listened to the song and I read the translation I immediately related to it. While I am passionate about many things, Egypt is always the thing that I will return to because Egyptβs history is just something I love so deeply. Throughout my life, I have so many beautiful memories in my Nonnoβs basement looking through his books and staring up at the bookcases hoping to one day be able to read every single word that they contain. So many memories of listening to my Nonno explain the significance of each piece in museums. These feelings of childish wonder are emotions that I always wish to return to.
βWhen I was fed up and lost, Back then when I fell into a pit of despair, Even when I pushed you away, Even when I resented meeting you, You were firmly by my side, You didnβt have to say anything, So donβt ever let go of my hand, I wonβt let you go ever again either, My birth and the end of my life, You will be there to watch over it allβ -First Love
I feel like a picture of me with my favorite Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ statue is appropriate for this type of post! Iβm 16 in this picture!
Ostraca are basically the ancient Egyptian version of a sketch pad or scrap paper! They were used by scribes πππͺ or artists to practice their craft! The ostraca were usually chips of limestone or broken pottery.
These ostraca at the MET are very awesome because they depict Senemut π’ππ πΌ!! Senemut π’ππ πΌ was Hatshepsutβs π³π¦π most trusted advisor (and in my opinion, they were definitely much closer than that π). Senemut π’ππ πΌ was not only the tutor for Hatshepsutβs π³π¦π daughter π π Neferure π³π€ π€ π€, the royal architect in charge of Deir el-Bahri, but he was also the Steward to Amun πππΊππ π at Karnak.
The sketch of Senemut π’ππ πΌ on these ostraca are very similar to the sketches of Senemut π’ππ πΌ that are seen in his tomb!
These were always some of my favorite pieces to see as a kid! Not only because it was Senemut π’ππ πΌ, but also I loved seeing how the Egyptians πππππͺ used to do things!! Seeing the grids and seeing their βsketch padsβ allowed me a glimpse into just how some of this incredible art was created!
This is one of the grand, large kneeling statues πππππΎπͺ of Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ that were found during excavations of her temple at Deir el-Bahri. The excavations were a joint operation between the MET and the Egyptian government.
In this statue πππππΎ, Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ is depicted wearing the nemes headcloth, a false beard on her chin, and is kneeling with a nemset jar π in each hand π§ππΊ. These were meant to be offerings to the god πΉ Amun ππ π- an inscription on the statue πππππΎ states that Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ is offering “maat” to Amun ππ π- while Maat ππ΄π£ππ¦ was the goddess of truth, “maat” was also a concept held dearly by Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ. Her reign was guided by order, truth, and justice – all the principles of maat.
Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ is seen kneeling, which is not too common for a Pharaoh ππ» since they were considered to be gods πΉπΉπΉ on Earth. However, since Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ was making an offering to the god πΉ Amun ππ π, she did this in a kneeling position. A pharaoh ππ» kneeled for no one – except for another god πΉ.
From this angle, the statue πππππΎ looks even more grand! I also love pink granite, which many of Hatshepsut’s ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ statues πππππΎπͺ are made out of. Granite is an extremely dense and durable rock (hence why it is used for countertops today), and these statues πππππΎπͺ of Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ were definitely built to last.
The image above is of the cartouches of Hatshepsutβs throne name, Maatkare π³π¦π.
This is a small, kneeling statue πππππΎ of Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ made out of black/pink granite! The black and pink granite is traditionally found in Aswan (Upper Egypt). In the USA, black and pink granite is commonly found in Nevada and other western states! This piece is in the MET.
While not as grand as some of her other statues πππππΎπͺ that adorned her temple πππ at Deir el-Bahri, this one makes quite an impression. There are at least eight of these statues πππππΎπͺ, and many of them are in the MET. They were most likely used to line the upper court at her temple πππ, and are thought to be intended for her Heb Sed festival (a festival used to celebrate 30 πππ years of rule, and then celebrated every three πΌ years after the initial 30 πππ). Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ, ever the Pharaoh ππ» to break from tradition, instead celebrated hers in the 16th ππΏ year of her rule!
In this statue, Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ is kneeling and is seen holding the nemset jar π. The jar π has the djed pillar π½ adorning the front. The djed pillar π½ is thought to be the spine of Osiris πΉπ¨π, and it represents stability and endurance – both are attributes a Pharaoh ππ» needed in order to be a successful ruler!
This large red granite π π³ππΆ sphinx ππ ±ππ€ of Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ is not in the βHatshepsut Galleryβ (as I like to call it) at the MET – in fact, she is right next to the Temple of Dendur! Dendur is located in Nubia, and is just south ππ ±π of Aswan π΄πΉπππ²π.
I find the location of the sphinx ππ ±ππ€ an interesting placement in the museum because the temple πππ and the sphinx ππ ±ππ€ are from two π»very different time periods in Egyptian history. The temple of Dendur was built by Augustus ππ»π and building was completed by 10 B.C.E., while Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ ruled πΎ during the New Kingdom. This sphinx ππ ±ππ€ was sculpted during the joint reign πΎ of Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ and Thutmosis III π³π π£ c.1479β1458 B.C.E.
The Sphinx ππ ±ππ€ was one of six πΏ large sphinxes ππ ±ππ¦ that would have lined her temple πππ at Deir el-Bahri. It is made of red granite π π³ππΆ, which was mined at Aswan π΄πΉπππ²π and then transported ~500 π²π²π²π²π² miles up the Nile ππππ ±ππππΊ. Red Granite π π³ππΆ is a super dense rock ππππͺ so this was not an easy task!
This is a large and absolutely beautiful π€ piece in real life. Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ is depicted wearing the nemes ππ π΄ head cloth and the false beard – typical fashion for a pharaoh ππ»! The sphinx ππ ±ππ€ was a very popular way for a pharaoh ππ» to be represented, and this practice occurred for thousands πΌπΌπΌ of years. While the most famous sphinx ππ ±ππ€ is the great sphinx ππ ±ππ€ of Khafre π³ππ at Giza, there are so many other wonderful sphinxes too ππ ±ππ¦!
In these statues πππππΎπͺ, Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ is kneeling and is seen holding the nemset jar π. The jar π has the djed pillar π½ adorning the front. The djed pillar π½ is thought to be the spine of Osiris πΉπ¨π, and it represents stability and endurance – both are attributes a Pharaoh ππ» needed in order to be a successful ruler πΎ!
They were most likely used to line the upper court at her temple πππ, and are thought to be intended for her Heb Sed festival (a festival used to celebrate 30 πππ years of rule, and then celebrated every three πΌ years after the initial 30 πππ). Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ, ever the Pharaoh ππ» to break from tradition, instead celebrated hers in the 16th ππΏ year of her rule!
Thanks to my momΒ πΏππ, who was at the museum with me, I was able to get such great pictures ππ ±ππ¦ in the HatshepsutΒ ππ ππΉππππΌπͺΒ Gallery!
Here I am in between the two π» large red granite π π³ππΆ statues πππππΎπͺ of Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ! These statues πππππΎπͺ are tremendous in size and so gorgeous π€ to look at! Hateshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ really does look regal in them!
In both statues πππππΎπͺ, Hatshepsut ππ ππΉππππΌπͺ is in a kneeling position holding a nemset jar ππΊ in each hand π§ππΊ. In ancient Egypt ππ ππ, kneeling is considered a worshipping πΌπΏπ’/offering π΅ππͺπππ¦ position, and hieroglyphs πΉππͺ at the base of one of the statues πππππΎπͺ say that she is offering π΅ππͺπππ¦ plants πΎπ°π°π° to the god πΉ Amun ππ ππ.
The main difference between the two π» statues πππππΎπͺ is that one has a false beard and one does not! In statuary, pharaohs ππ»π¦ were usually depicted wearing a false beard as it was a sign of royalty πΎ. Since most of these statues πππππΎπͺ were found in pieces at Deir el-Bahri π¦ππ¦π₯π during excavations, itβs possible that the statue πππππΎ on the right was supposed to have a false beard but it wasnβt found, or that it was never supposed to have one!
