Conny Waters – AncientPages.com – A closer examination of the damaged statues of the well-known female pharaoh Hatshepsut challenges the long-held notion that they were intentionally destroyed as a means of disrespect. A new study indicates that Hatshepsut received the same treatment as other pharaohs after she passed away.

A small kneeling statue of Hatshepsut (MMA 23.3.1) with its face fully intact_ 616mm (h) × 325mm (w) × 515mm (d). Credit: The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Hatshepsut, a skillful and efficient Egyptian ruler, has attained iconic status in contemporary times due to her distinguished role as one of Egypt’s most powerful rulers and one of the country’s rare female pharaohs.

In the 1920s, archaeological excavations at Deir el-Bahri in Luxor, Egypt, revealed numerous fragmented statues of Hatshepsut. This discovery has traditionally been interpreted as a deliberate act of retribution by her nephew and successor, Thutmose III.

Yet the condition of the statues retrieved near Hatshepsut’s mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahri exhibits significant variation of destruction. Many statues have their facial features almost entirely intact.

Comparing archaeological materials from previous excavations, researchers propose a different interpretation regarding the treatment of these statues. Instead of attributing the damage to outright hostility, it is suggested that much of it may result from the ‘deactivation’ process and subsequent reuse of these statues as raw material.

Fragments from an indurated limestone statue of Hatshepsut (approximately life size) (MMA 29.3.2) (photograph by Harry Burton, 1929; © The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Department of Egyptian Art Archives (M10C 71)).

Such facts raise some important questions about whether Thutmose III’ was truly driven by hostility towards Hatshepsut, or perhaps were some other reasons that contributed to the statues’ damage.

According to Jun Yi Wong, a researcher from the University of Toronto, the prevalent image of Hatshepsut’s “shattered visage” does not accurately represent the overall condition of her statuary. Contrary to this popular perception, numerous statues of Hatshepsut remain in relatively good condition, with their facial features largely preserved.

So, Wong focused his study on drawings, unpublished field notes, photographs, and correspondences. Wong’s analysis of archival material shows that many statues were damaged, not by Thutmose III, but by later reuse as building materials and tools.

Most of the statuary in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York (MMA) collection was recovered from the so-called ‘Hatshepsut Hole’ and ‘quarry’ adjacent to the temple causeway at Deir el-Bahri.

The Hatshepsut Hole was uncovered during the 1922–1923 excavation season, and the causeway leading to the temple of Thutmose III was built over this particular site. Therefore, statues of Hatshepsut have remained undisturbed since the era of Thutmose III.

The head from an Osiride statue (MMA 31.3.153), partially restored with plaster: 478mm (h) × 381mm (w) × 473cm (d) (© The Metropolitan Museum of Art).

During Thutmose’s reign, the statues that were damaged followed a particular pattern: they were broken at their weak points, such as the neck, waist, and knees.

Also statues of male pharaohs discovered at Deir el-Bahri (including Mentuhotep II, Senwosret III, Amenhotep I and Thutmose III) were found broken across their neck, knees and/or ankles, with fragments often scattered across large areas, according to traditions.

In Egyptology, this practice is known as the “deactivation” of statues. It was intended to neutralize the inherent power of these images and was applied to the statuary of various kings throughout pharaonic history.

According to Wong, this kind of treatment does not necessarily indicate hostility towards the depicted individual.

Image source

This suggests that Hatshepsut received a treatment in death akin to her predecessors, reflecting continuity in certain burial practices. However, it leaves room for contemplation about whether some of the destruction was deliberately aimed at damaging her legacy.

At the quarry, the continued reuse of statues extended well beyond the reign of Thutmose III, resulting in their distribution across various sections of the necropolis.

This era may have also witnessed intentional yet less organized destruction of these statues, mainly by individuals or groups anxious about the perceived power embodied within these images.

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Written by Conny Waters – AncientPages.com Staff Writer