Hatshepsut Temple in Luxor

Description

When the temple was excavated beginning in 1934 by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the remains of granite sphinxes, royal statues, and colossal Osiride figures were found hacked up and tossed aside for use as quarrying stone. Today the patient work of excavators and restorers has brought the temple back to resemble its form in the reign of Hatshepsut herself.

The overall plan of the temple is one using terraces which lead into long colonnades running north and south from a central ramp. Terraces are characteristicof Theban temple architecture, both before and after the reign of Hatshepsut; her design didn't combine the building of pylon gateways into the layout, as did those of the kings who succeeded her. Rather Hatshepsut appears to have taken her cue from Mentuhotep II, whose neighboring complex, built in the 11th dynasty, combined   colonnades with a ramp and terrace as well.

A valley Temple was planned to for the complex, but it appears not to have been completed. Leading up from it, however, was a broad causeway, some 30 meters (100 feet) wide and punctuated by a bark shrine where festivals procession rested. Lining both sides of the causeway were granite sphinxes of Hatshepsut herself, in such large numbers as to invoke the image of sphinx alley between Luxor and Karnak Temples on the east banks of Thebes. The causeway ended in an enormous forecourt at the back of which are the lowest level colonnades. Although the walls of relief decoration behind the square columns are badly preserved, carful study has revealed the content of their scenes.

On the second terrace are two more colonnades. That on the south records the famous diplomatic and trading mission to the land of Punt. Beginning from the south end the relief illustrates the Puntite Village built on the stilts, and it shows the ruler of Punt, Parohu, and his wife Ity shows with rolls of fat-a distinctively non- Egyptian body type.
In the north of the central ramp I a cycle depicting Hatshepsut's divine birth from the union of Amun an Queen Ahmose, wife of ThutmosisI. This is the earliest version preserved of the divine birth cycle, but it was renewed and usurped by Ramses II in the 19th dynasty. Some of the scenes are repainted and sometimes difficult to see.
South of the middle terrace is a chapel of Hathor, built independent of the temple proper. it is situated  to be as close to the early Hathor Chapel in the Mentuhotep II precinct as possible, and it is fronted by a court with decorated walls. Later the court was filled with columns topped with large Hathor cow heads. Behind them on the west wall and on either side of the chapel's door are large reliefs of the living Hathor cow who was raised in the precinct. The king (here re-identified as Thutmosis III) hand feeds the cow in an exceptional duet of reliefs. Within the chapel the queen associated herself with Hathor's offspring Ihy. She takes the child/calf's place suckling from the Hathor cow in several scenes. In the inner sanctuary are niches where Senmut showing himself with texts of praise to Hathor.

To the north of the middle terrace is the shrine of Anubis designed with a small hypostyle hall before two vaulted chambers. In the hall are scenes of the queen offering to Anubis and other gods. The chapel may allude to a cult of Anubis in the region of Thebas. More hidden senmut texts occur here.

The third terrace is marked by a series of colossal Osride statues of Hatshepsut placed against square piers north and south of the central axis. A central granite doorway leads into a pillared court with decorated walls around its perimeter. Those reliefs illustrate the great Theban festival of the Opet, when Amen of Karnak traveled to Luxor temple to renew the divine kingship; and the beautiful Feast of the valley, which brought Amen of Karnak to west Thebas and to Dei El-Bahari annually. North to this court an open court containing an open altar to the sun god Ra-Horakhty and smaller chapels to Amen and Anubis. South of the central court are rooms with vaulted ceilings where the cults of the queen and her father are honored.

Top tips  

• - Tickets for this temple are available from the ticket office at the entrance to the site.

• - Visit early in the day to avoid the worst of the heat and bring lots of water.

• - Two paths lead up the mountain near Deir al Bahari. Climb to the top for some fabulous views, or walk across the hill to the Valley of the Kings.