Jon Atkinson - World and Wildlife Photographer

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Temple of Dier el Bahari (Hatshepsut)

Hatshepsut_1: The Temple of Deir el Bahari, Hatshepsut

The Temple of Deir El-Bahri located on the west coast of the Nile is the mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut, one of the most iconic temples in the whole of Egypt, due to its design and decorations. It was built of limestone, not sandstone like most of the other funerary temples of the New Kingdom period.

Hatshepsut_2: The Temple of Deir el Bahari, Hatshepsut

It is a colonnaded structure, which was designed and implemented by the architect Senmut in 1480BC. A 100-foot causeway leads to the temple, which consists of three terraced courtyards covered in sculptural reliefs.

Hatshepsut_3: The Temple of Deir el Bahari, Hatshepsut

The temple is dedicated to Amon and Hathor although there are chapels that are dedicated to other gods such as Anubis.He created the temple with rows of colonnades that reflect the vertical patterns displayed by the cliff behind. There are three layered terraces reaching 30 meters high.

Hatshepsut_4: Columns on the left of the upper terrace

Hatshepsut_5: Columns on the Upper Terrace

Hatshepsut_6: Columns to the right of the upper terrace

Hatshepsut_7: Entry to the Sanctuary of Amun, Temple of Deir el Bahari.

The Sanctuary would have been the resting place for the barque of Amun during the ‘Valley Festival’. The sanctuary was later expanded by Ptolemy VIII, Euergetes who added a third chamber dedicated to Imhotep and Amenhotep Son of Hapu who were worshipped as deities at this time and associated with gods of healing. The third terrace later became a sanatorium

Hatshepsut_8 The face of Hatshepsut, Temple of Deir el Bahari.

Hatshepsut was the daughter of Pharaoh Tuthmosis I and the wife of his successor Tuthmosis II. Tuthmosis II died before she bore a son. Rather than step aside for the secondary wife who had borne him an heir, she became co-regent of her stepson, the young Tuthmosis III. After which she assumed full power.

Hatshepsut_9 Rear view of Columns on the Upper terrace, Temple of Deir el Bahari.

The second ramp leads to the uppermost terrace. A long solemn row of identical Osiris statues of the queen forms the facade fronting the square pillars of the main hall. The Osiris statues had been changed to the square pillars by Tuthmosis III after Queen Hatshepsut had died to erase her from his mind. This creates an unusual corridor bordered by circular and square pillars.

Hatshepsut_10 Hator Chapel, Temple of Deir el Bahari.

Several of the columns in the chapel have been destroyed, although the surviving columns show them to have Hathor capitals similar to those found at Denderah

Hatshepsut_11 Hieroglyphics in Temple of Dier el Bahari.

Ancient broken column with hieroglyphics in Temple of Dier el Bahari.

Hatshepsut_12 Hieroglyphics in Temple of Dier el Bahari.

Hieroglyphics in Temple of Hatshepsut at Dier el Bahari Temple.

Hatshepsut_13: Hathor Chapel,Temple of Deir el Bahari.

Hatshepsut_14 Hieroglyphics in Temple of Dier el Bahari.

Hieroglyphics in Temple of Hatshepsut at Dier el Bahari Temple

Hatshepsut_15 Wall relief showing Hathor as a cow.

Hathor is commonly depicted as a cow goddess with head horns in which is set a sun disk. Hathor was worshiped by Royalty and common people alike in whose tombs she is depicted as “Mistress of the West” welcoming the dead into the next life.

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