The sarcophagus found at the MFA, which belonged to Thutmose I offers a unique perspective on the reign of his daughter, Hatshepsut. Made for Hatshepsut herself, the sarcophagus was recarved and used for the mummy of Thutmose I. While it was never used for Hatshepsut, the sarcophagus, through the use of its decoration, style, and material, still offers insight into her status, reign, and views on the afterlife.
Hatshepsut uses the sarcophagus of Thutmose I to help legitimize her own reign as king.
For Hatshepsut, this sarcophagus was a way to demonstrate her own status and that of her father. The quality and material of the sarcophagus are a testament to Hatshepsut’s economic power because she commissioned it. The sarcophagus is covered in
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sunken relief carvings of figures and hieroglyphs. The precise way in which these carvings were executed indicates a skilled craftsman and therefore reflects well on whoever ordered the sarcophagus made because it shows a large amount of economic capacity (Lecture). A similar sentiment is echoed in the very material of the sarcophagus. Made from quartzite, the sarcophagus would have been considered very elite because it was made from such a large piece of hard stone (Lecture.) Only a truly powerful individual would be able to access and then transport the stone in order for it to be carved and then put into use. Additionally, the figural carvings along the sides show elite status. While the interior figure on each side is Anubis, the two outer figures are clearly high-ranking men because of their kilts and broad collars (Lecture). It seems that they may be depictions of the king because of they are wearing false beards, and a headdress similar to a nemes, although it lacks a uraeus, and the cartouches that are near these figures, all images that indicate royalty (Lecture). Knowing that the sarcophagus belongs to Thutmose I, it stands to reason that he is the king being depicted. This only enhances Hatshepsut’s own status because it connects her to a powerful king. It was not uncommon, however, for Hatshepsut to depict herself as a man (Robins. 128) so these images were most likely intended to represent her before she decided to use the sarcophagus for her father. If this is true, it indicates the power that Hatshepsut would have possessed as king. There are multiple cartouches, which indicate royal status, on the sarcophagus (Lecture). The viewer can easily make out the throne name, preceded by the bee and sedge, as well as the Son of Ra name on the sarcophagus, symbols which have roots that go back to the Old Kingdom (Lecture.). The age of these symbols demonstrates the necessity of their depiction; because they have persisted throughout Egypt’s history they are an essential part of being king. The symbols on these cartouches link whoever is named to all the kings who came before. Showing that Thutmose I, and more importantly Hatshepsut, came from this long line of kings would have been a crucial aspect of legitimizing her reign. The cartouches on the sarcophagus also offer a second point of interest. Originally meant for Hatshepsut, the cartouches would have initially borne her name, but after she decided to use the sarcophagus for her father’s mummy, they were recarved to bear his name. This is different from many of the instances where her name was recarved after her reign, because Hatshepsut herself ordered the cartouches to be remade. Unlike her successor Thutmose III, who had her cartouches ostentatiously obliterated in an attempt to erase her from history and the afterlife (Robins. 129), Hatshepsut embraced her connection to Thutmose I by allowing his name to be carved where her own had once been. It is still possible to make out the outline of her name under Thutmose I’s, a fact which helps to solidify the idea that she was his heir. Hatshepsut had already used this idea to claim the title of king and legitimize her reign (Robins. 126). The style of the sarcophagus and its decoration firmly root this object to its funerary context.
Many funerary motifs are virtually unchanged through Egypt’s history including the rectangular, flat-lidded shape of this sarcophagus with a horizontal inscription near the lid which dates back to the Sixth Dynasty (Robins. 24). Many of the decorations on the sarcophagus have a similarly long history. One such image are the wadjet eyes carved into one of its sides. Seen on false doors and sarcophagi alike, this image was vital to Egyptian funerary practice because it allowed the ka to move between the locations of its body and the offerings left in the tomb (Lecture). The images of the gods seen on the sarcophagus are linked to the afterlife as well. The jackal-headed Anubis can be found on two sides of the sarcophagus, while one end features Isis, crowned by a throne, the other shows Nephthys, who is distinguished by a house and basket over her own head (Lecture). These gods were seen repeatedly in depictions of the afterlife, signifying their importance in achieving a happy eternity. Originally meant for Hatshepsut, these images were what she thought to be a necessary part in her achievement of a happy afterlife. In moving her father’s mummy to this sarcophagus, she reinforces her role as Thutmose I’s heir because she ensures that he received the best afterlife possible, the type that she had
wanted. The sarcophagus of Thutmose I, recarved from what was originally his daughter’s own coffin, offers insight into how Hatshepsut legitimized her reign. Providing a sarcophagus with the proper funerary decoration for her father allowed Hatshepsut to perform her duty as an heir, solidifying her reign as king. Her cartouche, still visible beneath Thutmose I’s further ties her to her predecessor, while the material and much of the iconography show that she had the power to rule as well. Each of these details show Hatshepsut to be a competent king and the appropriate successor to Thutmose I.
These two statues are famous to the Egyptian art era. They represent the woman’s position and the man’s position at that day and age. Traditionally, the rulers of Egypt were male. So, when Hatshepsut, Dynasty 18, ca. 1473-1458 B.C., assumed the titles and functions of king she was portrayed in royal male costumes. Such representations were more for a political statement, rather than a reflection of the way she actually looked. In this sculpture, she sits upon a throne and wears the royal kilt and the striped nemes (NEM-iss) headdress with the uraeus (cobra) and is bare chested like a man. However, she does not wear the royal beard, and the proportions of her body are delicate and feminine.
Hatshepsut, declared herself king during the reign of her stepson and nephew, Thutmose III. She adopted the full titulary of a pharaoh, and since this was traditionally a man’s role, she wore the nemes-headcloth, the shendyt-kilt and a fake beard as part of the ceremonial attire of the Egyptian king. This is portrayed in her life-size statue “White Hatshepsut” at the MET.
Hatshepsut’s reign especially leaves much to the scholar’s speculation and interpretation since little evidence is left. The reader must acknowledge how an author’s views may be construed by sexism and other concepts prevalent in their time. What these five authors imply about Hatshepsut’s personality and attitude concerning her political ascent, her usage of propaganda, and her achievements during that time all differ from each other, some more drastically than others. This certainly shows that when one reads of history, their research should span as far as possible in order to most accurately inform themselves of what truly happened; it is from there that they can formulate the best
Hatshepsut was bold because while she was her nephew, Tuthmosis III’s regent, she gathered power and influence to unexpectedly name herself pharaoh. In paragraph eleven, it states, “Gradually, over seven years, her power and influence grew. In the end, Hatshepsut was ruling Egypt in all but name.” In addition to this quote, in paragraph twelve, it states, “...Hatshepsut took a bold and unprecedented step: She had herself crowned pharaoh with the large, heavy, red-and-white double crown of the two Egypts…” These quotes explain that Hatshepsut knew that her nephew was too young to be effective and used this to her advantage. Hatshepsut was also bold because she did not want to break the tradition of a male. Instead of dressing as a woman, Hatshepsut appeared as a man in public and took the name of Maatkare. In paragraph fourteen, it states, “She was concerned with preserving and continuing traditional order as much as possible, so to the people of Egypt she made herself look like a man in her role as pharaoh.” This quote supports that Hatshepsut was aware that she broke the men as pharaoh tradition, but wanted people to take her seriously and continued to dress as a man so it did not seem like she was a woman. Despite her dressing as a man, Hatshepsut continued her feminine delights. In paragraph sixteen, it states, “Hatshepsut might have had to look and act like a man in public, but she never gave up feminine pleasures.”
Term Paper: Coffin of Tentkhonsu The Egyptians during this period took ample time and detail on the mummification process to ensure a successful transition from the netherworld to rebirth. The Coffin of Tentkhonsu, 1025-980 B.C., it’s a depiction of how the Egyptians valued and honored their elite members of society, as well as their gods. The Coffin of Tentkhonsu, itself dates back to the III intermediate period in Egyptian culture. The Egyptian believe was to join Osiris, whom was believed to have ascended to Netherworld and accomplished eternal life.
The sites touched by Thutmose I and II were expanded in Upper Egypt. Hatshepsut built for Horus of Buhen, which was a temple of a temple common in the mid 18th dynasty. Hatshepsut lined the temple with drawings of her and Thutmose III. Although later, when Thutmose III rose to power, he replaced those drawings with those of just him and his father and grandfather. However, parts of the Buhen temples that were moved to the Khartoum Museum, contains scenes of Hatshepsut’s coronation and veneration of her father, Thutmose I. There are no records of any 18th dynasty kings building before Hatshepsut. Hatshepsut also inscribed a lengthy tale on Speos Artemidos, saying that she was the first person to start to restore temples in the area of Memphis since the Hyksos destroyed the area. She claimed to rebuild temples at Hermopolis and at Cusae. This work was claimed to be overlooked by one of her nomarch named, Djehuty. Djehuty was a general under king Thutmose III, and then a nomarch to Hatshepsut. Djehuty had the titles “king's scribe”, “overseer of troops” and “overseer of the northern countries”. Hatshepsut gave the most attention to Thebes. She had a huge focus on the Temple of Karnak, and worked on restoring and expanding on the once great temple. Djehuty had a large role in this project as well. Illustrated on the walls of this temple, was the Queen’s expedition to
Robins, Gay. "The Names of Hatshepsut as King." Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 85 (1999): 103-12. Jstore. Web. 8 Dec. 2013. .
A man dies. He winds his way down into the underworld to reach the banks of the river Acheron where he meets the ferryman Charon. He takes a coin from his mouth to pay the toll across. On the opposite bank he is greeted by a Maenad or perhaps Bacchus himself who offers him a kylix of wine. Drinking deep, the man is transformed and resurrected from death to a higher plane. Instead of living a miserable dream in the underworld he receives redemption from his god Dionysos, the Savior. In Roman imperial times there was a great resurgence of the "Mystery" cults of Greece fueled by the hope of a life after death. In funerary monuments there can be seen the tenets of the religion as well as how it views the afterlife. Within the Los Angeles County Art Museum stands such a vessel created to facilitate this journey to eternal bliss.
"Sarcophagus of the Spouses - Smarthistory." Smarthistory: a multimedia web-book about art and art history. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Feb. 2014.
...nt through the women. The power to rule was passed from wife to husband. Kha-merer-nebty II is shown here presenting her husband, Mycerinus, as the pharaoh. Unlike the sculpture of Augustus, this sculpture also has a religious purpose. The Egyptians believed that in order for the “ka” (spirit) to live forever, the body had to be preserved which is why they mummified their bodies. As an extra precaution, sculptures like these were made to serve as a “replacement body” for the ka should something happen to their body.
An essential characteristic for being a great leader, consistent within many, is confidence. A person may have ideas, but for them to be carried out takes confidence in themselves to bring those ideas to reality. Hatshepsut portrayed herself as a very confident woman by taking the initiative to do things that only Pharaoh’s would commonly do, such as performing certain religious rituals, making offerings directly to the gods, and commissioning various building projects. These actions made it evident that she saw herself as important and powerful, and others soon believed this as well; she was considered as God’s wife of Amen and became a priestess in temple rituals. Hatshepsut also depicted herself as a male—she dressed in a kilt, crown, and wore an artificial beard. This clearly shows that she had great ambition to be King, as she took on the daring task of creating a false persona just so that she could reach her goal. Despite the typical male dominating society, Hatshepsut displayed confidence in herself that she could become ...
Was she the archetypal wicked stepmother, an unnatural and scheming woman ?of the most virile character who would deliberately abuse a position of trust to steal the throne from a defenceless child? (Gardiner, 1961:184)? Or was she ?an experienced and well-meaning woman who ruled amicably alongside her stepson, steering her country through twenty peaceful, prosperous years who deserves to be commemorated among the great monarchs of Egypt? (Budge, 1902:I)? According to biographer and historian Joyce Tyldesley, Queen or as she would prefer to be remembered, King Hatchepsut became the female embodiment of a male role, whose reign was a carefully balanced period of internal peace, foreign exploration and monument building (Tyldesley, 1996:1). This study will show that it was Hatshepsut the Pharaoh?s devotion to the god Amen and her protection of the maat of 18th Dynasty Egypt that allowed her to forge her successful New Kingdom regime.
Through the means of commemorating and remembering those of prestige and importance, tombs and sarcophagi are produced of these individuals. This funerary manner and distinctive burial practice was initiated Etruscan culture and it developed through the means of cremation and inhumation in earns. The concept of placing the remains of individuals in elaborate, thought out spaces was a valuable attribute of these people. The Etruscan objective of creating the best possible outcome in the afterlife dictated the way in which individuals ornamented and became portrayed in their tombs. Presen...
The grandeur with which Egyptians regarded their funerary customs does not come without explanation. They delighted in tying the occurrences of the natural world with supernatural dogma, and their burial practices exemplified this deluge of religion. A special deity was even attributed to cemeteries and embalmers: Anubis (Fiero, 46). Due to this deep sense of religion, a fixation with the afterlife developed within their culture. The Egyptian afterlife, however, is not synonymous of heave, but, rather, of The Field of Reeds, a continuation of one’s life in Egypt meant “to secure and perpetuate in the afterlife the ‘good life’ enjoyed on earth” (Mark 1; “Life in Ancient Egypt” 1). The pursuit of this sacred rest-place prompted the arousal of intricate Egyptian funeral rituals.
Queen Hatshepsut, who ruled Egypt during the 18th dynasty, was one of a small handful of female pharaohs. Despite her many achievements, her reign is most remembered for the fact that she was a woman. Her unique story has been a source for dispute among scholars, which has led to a number of conflicting views. The small amount of Hatshepsut’s life that has been documented does not allow us to see the more intimate details of her life. Historians have a broad range of opinions on her, but one thing is certain: her reign provided Egypt with a period of peace and prosperity after 100 years of foreign rule. There are a number of theories involving Hatshepsut’s personal and public life.