Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut

The Temple of Hatshepsut at the cliffs of Deir el-Bahari appears to grow directly from the mountainside, rising in terraces connected by broad, gentle ramps. Built by the architect Senenmut in the early 15th century BC, it was dedicated to Amun and to the queen herself. Colonnades and statues decorate each terrace, while wall reliefs depict Hatshepsut’s divine birth and her celebrated expedition to Punt. After her death, Thutmose III attempted to erase the memory of her reign, but the temple retained its grandeur and is now protected as part of the Deir el-Bahari archaeological complex.

In the early 19th century, the scholar Jean-François Champollion was examining the inner halls of Hatshepsut’s temple at Deir el-Bahari when he encountered the pharaoh’s name. As he translated the inscription, he suddenly realized that the ruler was not a king, but a queen.