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whencyclopedia · 26 days

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Deir el-Medina

Deir el-Medina is the modern Arabic name for the worker's village (now an archaeological site) which was home to the artisans and craftsmen of Thebes who built and decorated the royal tombs in the nearby Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens.

The ancient inhabitants called the village Pa Demi (“the village”) but it was referred to in official correspondence as Set-Ma'at (“The Place of Truth”) because the workers there were thought to be inspired by the gods in creating the eternal homes of the deceased kings and their families. Early in the Christian era the village, then deserted, was occupied by monks who took over the Temple of Hathor for use as a cloister. The temple was referred to as Deir el-Medina (“Monastery of the Town”) and this name finally came to be applied to the entire site.

Unlike most villages in ancient Egypt, which grew up organically from small settlements, Deir el-Medina was a planned community. It was founded by Amenhotep I (c.1541-1520 BCE) specifically to house workers on royal tombs because tomb desecration and robbery had become a serious concern by his time. It was decided that the royalty of Egypt would no longer advertise their final resting places with large monuments but, instead, would be buried in a less accessible area in tombs cut into the cliff walls. These areas would become the necropolises now known as the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens and those who lived in the village were known as “Servants in the Place of Truth” for their important role in creating eternal homes and also remaining discreet regarding tomb contents and location.

Deir el-Medina is among the most important archaeological sites in Egypt because of the wealth of information it provides on the daily life of the people who lived there. Serious excavation at the site was begun in 1905 CE by the Italian archaeologist Ernesto Schiaparelli and furthered by a number of others throughout the 20th century CE with some of the most extensive work done by French archaeologist Bernard Bruyere between 1922-1940 CE. At the same time Howard Carter was bringing the treasures of the royalty to light from Tutankhamun's tomb, Bruyere was uncovering the lives of the working people who would have created that final resting place.

History of the Village

The earliest extant ruins at the site are from the reign of Thutmose I (1520-1492 BCE), son and successor of Amenhotep I, but there is no doubt that it was Amenhotep I who first planned the site. He and his mother, Ahmose-Nefertari, were worshipped as protective gods at the site throughout its history. The workers also venerated the cobra goddess Meretseger (whose name means “She Who Loves Silence”), the personification of the Theban necropolis and protector of the dead and, especially, of their tombs.

By the time of the New Kingdom (c.1570-c.1069 BCE) tomb robbing had become almost epidemic in scope. Although measures such as false doors and labyrinths had been a part of tomb building since the Old Kingdom (c.2613-2181 BCE) they were not effective in keeping robbers from reaching the burial chamber and the vast treasures left there with the deceased. One gains an understanding of exactly how great the wealth in these tombs was when one considers the treasures of Tutankhamun's tomb discovered by Howard Carter in 1922 CE. Tutankhamun died before he was 20 years old and had not yet amassed the kind of wealth a king like Djoser (c.2670 BCE) or Khufu (2589-2566 BCE) would have had entombed for the afterlife.

The Valley of the Kings was selected as the new necropolis for royalty and the village was planned for easy access (a half hour's walk) from a worker's home to the tombs. The village was in continuous use from the time of Thutmose I until the collapse of the New Kingdom in c. 1069 BCE. Although the community and nearby necropolises were planned to safeguard the tombs of the kings, human greed and opportunity would eventually work to undermine the plan and some of the workers themselves would turn to robbing the tombs they had helped build and protect for an easy and quite substantial payoff. For most of its history, however, the village seems to have functioned as it was intended.

#History #AmenhotepI #Deirel-Medina #ThebesEgypt #WHE #[#]

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egypt-museum · 6 months

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Statue of Queen Iset

New Kingdom, mid 18th Dynasty, ca. 1479-1425 BC. Karnak Cachette. Egyptian Museum, Cairo. JE 37417; CG 42072

The Queen Iset or Isis, was the mother of King Thutmose III, second great royal wife of King Thutmose II. The Queen wears a large wig, with two uraeus at the forehead, the left one wearing the White Crown of Upper Egypt and the right one wearing the Red Crown of Lower Egypt.

The base of a crown can be seen on top of her wig, it is covered in gold leaf and once held two large plumes. Iset is known to have held the titles King's Mother (mwt-nswt), King's Wife (ḥmt-nswt), King's Great Wife (ḥmt-nswt-wrt) and God's Wife (ḥmt-nṯr). All probably posthumously.

#ancient egypt #18th dynasty #new kingdom #sculpture

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cityof2morrow · 3 months

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Gallery Collection 001

Published: 2-21-2024 | Updated: N/A SUMMARY This is the first in a series of upcoming investment objects for Sims 2 – things your sims can use to generate income over time. From 1975-2000, Anheuser-Busch, Inc. commissioned 30 paintings of African kings and queens for an extended outreach and marketing campaign. This set of paintings features artwork from this amazing series. Celebrate Black History Month 2024! #co2bhm #bhm2024 #sims2bhm. *No copyright infringement intended – I own no rights to these images.

DETAILS Requires Sims 2. Requires Apartment Life for shiftability. §1K-15K | Buy > Deco > Wall Hangings Paintings are centered on 1-tile but cover more tiles than that. They come in various gallery sizes and images have been edited to fit the mesh. After purchase, their value increases by approximately 2% daily – watch out for burglars! Files with “MESH” in their name are REQUIRED. Frame recolors include EA/Maxis and yeti textures. Frame and painting recolors are merged into two files so you’ll have to take them or leave them. ITEMS Great Kings & Queens of Africa: Paintings 001-006 (92-764 poly) DOWNLOAD (choose one) from SFS | from MEGA

IMAGES

Akhenaton Pharaoh of Egypt (1375-1358 BC) by Barbara Higgins Bond

Alfonso I King of the Kongo (circa 1486-1543) by Carl Owens (1929-2002)

Askia Muhammaed Toure King of Songhay (1493-1529) by Leo Dillon

Benhanzin Hossu Bowelle—The King Shark (1841-1906) by Thomas Blackshear II

Cleopatra VII Queen of Egypt (69-30 BC) by Ann Marshall

Hannibal Ruler of Carthage (247-183 BC) by Charles Lilly

Hatshepsut The Ablest Queen of Far Antiquity (1503-1482 BC) by Dean Mitchell

Idris Alooma Sultan of Bornu (1580-1617) by Charles Lilly (1949-)

Ja Ja King of the Opobo (1821-1891) by Jonathan Knight

Khama III The Good King of Bechuanaland (1819-1923) by Carl Owens

Makeda Queen of Sheba (960 BC) by Debra Edgerton

Mansa Kankan Musa King of Mali (1306-1337) by Barbara Higgins Bond

Menelek II King of Kings of Abyssinia (1844-1913) by Dow Miller

Moshoeshoe King of Batsutoland (circa 1786-1870) by Jerry Pinkney

Mwana Ngana Ndumba Tembo—Ruler of the Angolan Tchokwe (1840-1880 circa) by Kenneth Calvert

Nandi Queen of Zululand (1778-1826 AD) by HM Rahsaan Fort II

Nefertari Nubian Queen of Egypt (192-1225 BC) by Steve Clay

Nehanda of Zimbabwe (1862-1898) by Lydia Thompson

Nzingha—Amazon Queen of Matambo (1582-1663) by Dorothy Carter

Osei Tutu King of Asante (circa 1650-1717) by Alfred Smith

Queen Amina of Zaria (1588-1589) by Floyd Cooper

Samory Toure The Black Napoleon of the Sudan (1830-1900) by Ezra Tucker

Shaka-King of the Zulus (1787-1828) by Paul Collins

Shamba Bolongongo African King of Peace (1600-1620) by Roy LaGrone

Sunni Ali Beer King of Songhay (circa 1442-1492) by Leo Dillon

Taharqa King of Nubia (710-664 BC) by John Thomas Biggers

Tenkamenin King of Ghana (1037-1075 AD) by Alexander Bostic

Thutmose III Pharaoh of Egypt (753-712 BC) by Antonio Wade

Tiye The Nubian Queen of Egypt (circa 1415-1340 BC) by Leonard Jenkins

Yaa Asantewa Queen of Ghana (1863-1923) by Barbara Higgins Bond CREDITS No copyright infringement intended – I own no rights to these images. Artwork and trademarks are the property of their respective creators and/or owners. If this exceeds fair use, please contact me via private message. Thanks: Simming and Sketchfab Communities. Sources: Any Color You Like (CuriousB, 2010), Beyno (Korn via BBFonts), Console Certificates (d_dgjdhh, 2019; 2011), EA/Maxis, Gyeongbokgung Sajeongjeon Painting (National Heritage Administration, 2024 via CCA; Sketchfab), Great Kings and Queens of Africa Series (Anheuser-Busch, Inc., 1975-2000; Kentake, 2016), Offuturistic Infographic (Freepik), Painting by Zdzislaw Beksinski (Sosnowski, 2018 via CCA), Yeti Metals (Shastakiss, 2017).

#ts2downloads #sims2cc #ts2cc #bhm2024 #co2bhm2024 #sims2bhm

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tarotwithlove · 5 months

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PAC ⋆ christmas with your fictional other

reminder that this is a general reading and messages found here may not apply to everyone. take what resonates, leave what doesn't, and don't force anything if it does not fit.

BOOK A READING WITH ME · LINKTREE · 18+ PATREON · SUGGEST A PAC TOPIC · TIPS ♡ tips and feedback are highly appreciated!

GROUP ONE

cards · eight of boons, keeper of challenges, five of boons, three of challenges, eight of visions, keeper of spells.

channelled songs · gift & a curse by megan thee stallion. cry out by one ok rock. dear. by the boyz. loving you is a mountain by isaia huron.

hey there group one ♡ you may spend a lot of time on making or finding the perfect gift for your fictional other - or, in some cases, fictional others, because a large group of people, in particular, is coming to mind. it may be important to you that the gift is handmade, and crafted with a lot of care for your fictional other(s) and their family or group of friends.

you may bake or cook something special to celebrate the christmas festivities, only for your efforts to be disregarded. or for what you made to be burned or broken. for some, you may share the food with your fo's family or friends, only for one of them to make a snide remark about how it tastes. if you craft something, like a bauble for the tree or a tree angel, someone may mention how it's lopsided or the paint is uneven. they make a comment that stings but that is, ultimately, meaningless in your overall enjoyment of the day.

for some in this group – though, it is likely that it is for most – your christmas with your fictional other may start off beautifully mundane and end as it is disrupted by some great tragedy or some large-scale event. of course, it depends on the character and world that you are asking about and holds especially true for those of you asking about a shounen anime -- jujutsu kaisen in particular.

so, this christmas starts off as any other christmas, as any other day, and ends with your fictional other (or fictional others) running off to fulfil other, more urgent responsibilities. you will likely end christmas day alone and overwhelmed with bittersweet feelings about what you wished the day would be like versus what it actually ended up looking like.

GROUP TWO

cards · seeker of boons, seven of boons, two of spells, child of boons (reversed), seven of challenges, eight of spells.

channelled songs · animal instinct – acoustic version by the cranberries. sunflower by triple h. foreign by thutmose & alex mali. deep in love by day6.

hey there group two ♡ the christmas with your fictional other will be a non-traditional one. neither you nor your fictional other may care much about christmas, may not care to spend much time with family, especially during the christmas period, or you may be separated from your respective families in some way.

instead of a christmas celebration, you and your fictional other may spend much of your christmas in the service of others -- volunteering in old age homes, orphanages, and/or homeless shelters. hopping from place to place, going where you are called or where you are needed, and giving to others in any way possible. you may even make a pot of food and drive around your city, handing out food and water to the homeless, or to anyone who comes up asking for some.

you and/or your fictional other may have a complicated relationship with christmas, so you may fill the day with activities with which to distract yourselves from what is going on around you.

later on in the day, you and your fictional other may go to markets. there may be a thrift market or a christmas market at which you decide to while your time away. here, your fictional other may pickpocket something small to gift to you. you two may make a challenge of pickpocketing small items to gift to each other. of course, not only pickpocketing, but you may just go around buying items for each other.

i’m thinking of nami and usopp from one piece – in particular of this post i saw about how their talents as a thief and a liar would probably make for such fun nights out. so you and your fictional other, besides the pickpocketing or the buying things for each other, may also make a challenge of seeing how much free things you can get.

GROUP THREE

cards · seeker of visions, seeker of boons, keeper of boons, child of boons, child of spells, black shuck, five of spells.

channelled songs · fuckin' sound by lucky daye. goosebumps by travis scott. heaven by taemin. after we make love by whitney houston.

hey there group three ♡ this group has the most romantic overtones, the greatest romantic energy. you and your fictional other may not just be lovers, but soulmates; you're like two halves of the same heart, or two sides of the same coin. there's just so, so, so much of love and warmth here. it's as if you and your fictional other waited your whole lives to find each other and now that you have found each other there's nothing more important than building a beautiful, safe life together.

a child, or children, may be a significant part of your relationship with your fo. you or your fictional other may have a child, or either of you may be in a position where you look after children. this may even be your child with your fictional other. christmas with your fictional other, more than anything else and regardless of whether children are directly involved, feels like a family affair. with family and community being of the utmost importance to you and your fo.

i don’t know when was the last time i even thought about the x-men, but i’m thinking of them now, so a member of the x-men or the x-men as a team may be who you are reading this pick a card for. whether or not you’re asking about the x-men, though, i do feel that you’re asking about a character from a movie. i’m also thinking of irish pubs and traditional dancing, so you or your fo may be irish.

christmas with your fictional other is so fun and lively, with lots of dancing, singing, and loud expressions of joy.

this may be both of your first times spending christmas with a lover, so there is a lot to navigate. or it may be the first time introducing your respective families together. but because of how light this energy is, any worries quickly dissipate and it starts to feel so natural you both wonder what you were ever worried about. you get caught up in the dancing. in the singing. in the merriment.

christmas with your fo will be a large gathering, with pockets of people doing different things. some playing board games. some baking or cooking. some just chatting. there's also this energy of friendly competition, and this event may have a costume or ugly sweater competition. you and your fo will dress up as festively as possible, though it's likely that you had to corral your fo to dress up to theme – of course, in matching outfits with you.

GROUP FOUR

cards · eight of boons, nine of visions, keeper of challenges, child of challenges, five of challenges, the faery wind.

channelled songs · hello future by nct dream. shattered dreams by earl sweatshirt. amusement park by baekhyun. far by sza.

hey there group four ♡ you will put in a LOT of effort on christmas; decorating your home, cooking and baking, and just making sure that everything is perfect for your christmas together.

you may have wished time and again to have someone with whom to spend christmas, and so you do everything in your power to make sure this day is as worthwhile, beautiful, and memorable as possible. this may also be because you're hosting your fictional other and their family for the first time, so you want to make as good of an impression as possible.

you may feel like you are under a lot of pressure on this day, and it will likely boil over and lead to small arguments with your fictional other. a significant argument may come from your fo inviting someone extra at the last moment -- someone you had not prepared for, and thus are unable to cater for. this could be made worse by this person being an ex-lover or an ex-mutual friend, with your fictional other not realising the implications of this. to them, it is harmless, while to you it is a sign of disrespect.

you may find it difficult to truly enjoy christmas with your fictional other because you are so busy running all over the place – making sure this person is comfortable, or reheating that person's plate, or getting a blanket for this other person because they're cold. your perfectionism tendencies coming through again.

your fictional other will spend much of the day observing you keenly. as much as they want to step in and help, or to tell you to breathe, there’s this sense that they don’t want to overstep or undermine your efforts. so instead of telling you to take it easy – likely because you won’t even listen – they’ll go behind your back and pick up the slack. if you’re setting the table and someone is looking for you to ask about drinks, your fo will guide them away from you and get the drinks for them instead. if you’re in the middle of cleaning a spill, your fo will start talking to you in order to sneakily get you to hand over the cleaning tools so that they can clean up instead and you can go and be the amazing host/hostess you want to be.

they want to help but they also know how important this day is to you. they want you to rest, to take a breath, to calm down, but know that it would only hurt you if they voice this. but when the day is done and everyone has gone home, they will run you a bath. they will clean up. and once you’re out of the bath, they will sit you down and make sure you’re eating a hot meal, after which they will give you a shoulder massage and congratulate you on a successful christmas party.

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galgannet · 6 months

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Based on a wall relief from Theben that shows Seth teaching Thutmose III the skills of archery, this is my personal interpretation of the scene. Thutmose III or better known as Thutmose the Great, was not only known as Hatshepsut's co-regent but also as a great warrior-king. Surely a king earning such a grand title must have received instructions from the greatest of all masters. Who else but the strong and powerful Seth fits the discription?

Drawing stage 2/3

#galgannet #illustration #comic book style #ancient egypt #egyptology #egyptian art #ancient history #egyptian #Pharaoh Tuthmosis III #god Seth #фараон

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antiquitiesandlabyrinths · 2 months

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Hapshepsut?

Oh, you guys are funny. I make a note in my post about the oddity of people coming into my inbox with a single word prompt and that I have no idea how to respond except with a handful of information about the prompt, and now it's a real thing? That's just what I'm supposed to do?

Well, I might as well do so.

The modern legacy of Hatshepsut is dominated entirely by her womanhood. It completely disregards all of her accomplishments as a great and wealthy Pharaoh presiding over a time of great prosperity for Egypt, and it also overlooks the political and cultural climate of the time, which is as confusing as it is complicated.

This is much longer than my previous go about Ramses I, so I'm putting it under a read more.

Hatshepsut's Beginnings

When the layman thinks of Hatshepsut, they will think that she is the first female ruler of Egypt. This is their first mistake. There were many regents of Egypt; mothers who ruled on behalf of their young sons, who were not yet old enough to fully claim the throne. Beyond that there was also the female King Sobekneferu (12th Dynasty), as well as two Queens very early on in Egyptian history who might've been Pharaohs in their own right; Neithhotep (Early 1st Dynasty) and Merneith (1st Dynasty), both named for the warrior Goddess Neith, who held considerable importance in early Egyptian history. Both of these Queens have inscriptions and monuments attesting to their rule, but due to a lack of complete concrete evidence, it is difficult to now say whether they were regents or Pharaohs. Sobekneferu, from the 12th dynasty, was the first woman to take on the full royal titulary, assuming the position and title of Pharaoh completely. While her existence and rule is fully affirmed, there is little evidence left in the way of her accomplishments, as she ruled as the last Pharaoh of the 12th dynasty.

Khnumetamun Hatshepsut herself was born in 1507 BC to the Pharaoh Thutmose I and his Great Royal Wife, Ahmose. Her name, meaning 'Foremost of the Noble Women' was suiting to her––later in life she would be married to another one of her father's sons, Thutmose II, who was birthed of a secondary wife named Mutnofret. She was married before the age of 20 and assumed the highest standing title a woman could gain at the time; the God's Wife of Amun, giving her more power than even a Queen could achieve. To understand the importance of Hatshepsut even at this time, we must understand what it was to be the God's Wife of Amun. And remember, all this power and prestige is before she ever even became regent to her husband's son.

The God's Wife of Amun was a position held in Thebes, modern-day Luxor, and called Waset in ancient times. The title originates from the Middle Kingdom, and at that time, it was merely an honorific title for a noble woman who assisted the High Priest of Amun at Karnak Temple in his duties. By the New Kingdom, which was Hatshepsut's time, the God's Wife of Amun was powerful enough to influence policy and held considerable power and prestige, the peak of which was reached in the 3rd Intermediate Period, when a God's Wife of Amun ruled over Upper Egypt. The typical duties of a God's Wife of Amun were that of a high priest, and she would essentially be the female counterpart of the high priest of Amun, and took on many of his responsibilities alongside him. But the rewards for it were also plenty: "tax-exempt land, housing, food, clothing, gold, silver, and copper, male and female servants, wigs, ointment, cosmetics, livestock, and oil." (God's Wife of Amun, World History Encyclopedia, Joshua J. Mark) She would preside over the festivals of Amun and would be considered His consort, making her a divine being.

So this was Hatshepsut's position which was gifted upon her around the same time she was married to her half-brother, Thutmose II. Together they had a daughter whose name is Neferu-Ra, but this was their only child. The only viable heir to the throne after Thutmose II would have to be a son, which only came about through Thutmose II's lesser wife, Isis, who birthed Thutmose III. But Thutmose II, Hatshepsut's husband, died relatively soon after Thutmose III came to be, and so Thutmose III, the young son, could not fully be given the throne. Instead, Hatshepsut was made regent, and assumed all duties of state and Pharaoh while Thutmose III was growing up.

Proclaiming Herself Pharaoh

It was in the 7th year of her regency that the well-known history occurred. Hatshepsut crowned herself sole Pharaoh of Egypt. She assumed all royal titularies, titles, and names befitting a Pharaoh, but inscribed all of these using feminine forms. She passed down her title of God's Wife of Amun to her daughter, Neferu-Ra, and had her married to Thutmose III, likely in an attempt to consolidate power, and began to carve images of herself as a male Pharaoh.

I have commented on Hatshepsut before because some people like to claim that Hatshepsut is the world's first transgender person. This is incorrect. If she had wanted to represent as male, she would've gone about it differently, and to begin with, she would've changed her name. As I stated earlier, her name means "Foremost of the Noble Women"; this is a female name, and it would've been obvious to any Egyptian of the time that this was a woman. Instead, her representation as a male was to ensure the people knew she was not a Queen, but a full-fledged Pharaoh. And as I mentioned just previously, all her names and titles used feminine grammatical forms.

She is a complicated character, and one that will likely never be fully understood. But one certain thing about Hatshepsut was that she was smart. By marrying her daughter to the 'King' Thutmose III, she created a safety net for herself; if she was removed from the throne and Thutmose III was crowned, then she would still hold considerable power as the mother-in-law of the Pharaoh. She further legitimized her rule as Pharaoh by proclaiming that she was not just Amun's ritual wife, but His daughter, as well.

In the carvings and paintings in Hatshepsut's mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahari, Hatshepsut tells the story of how Amun appeared to her mother, Ahmose, in the form of Thutmose I, her father.

"He [Amun] in the incarnation of the Majesty of her husband, the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, [Thutmose I] found her sleeping in the beauty of her palace. She awoke at the divine fragrance and turned towards his Majesty. He went to her immediately, he was aroused by her he imposed his desire upon her. He allowed her to see him in his form of a god and she rejoiced at the sight of his beauty after he had come before her. His love passed into her body. The palace was flooded with divine fragrance." (van de Mieroop, 173)

This interaction made Hatshepsut a demi-God. But this was also not enough; she made claims that Thutmose I, her father, made her a co-ruler with him.

"Then his majesty said to them: "This daughter of mine, Khnumetamun Hatshepsut—may she live!—I have appointed as my successor upon my throne... she shall direct the people in every sphere of the palace; it is she indeed who shall lead you. Obey her words, unite yourselves at her command."" (Seawright, Caroline (6 November 2000). "Hatshepsut: Female Pharaoh of Egypt")

She claimed that Amun had sent an oracle foretelling of her rise to power.

"Welcome my sweet daughter, my favorite, the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Maatkare, Hatshepsut. Thou art the Pharaoh, taking possession of the Two Lands." (Breasted, James Henry (1906). Ockerbloom, John Mark (ed.). Ancient Records of Egypt: Historical Documents from the Earliest Times to the Persian Conquest)

She also represented herself as the direct successor of the Pharaoh Ahmose I, who started the 18th Dynasty.

That last bit may seem unimportant if you do not know the history behind Ahmose I. Ahmose I came about during the 2nd Intermediate Period, a time in which Egypt was split into three sections. Lower Egypt, the delta, which is to the north, was ruled by foreigners––the Hyksos, who were much despised by the native Egyptians, who ruled only a section of Egypt from Thebes. Then far the south, the Nubians ruled their own section of Egypt. What's important here, however, is the Hyksos rule. The Hyksos were commonly referred to as the Asiatics, and likely originated from the Levant, referring to themselves with Western Semitic names. They were seen as cruel and oppressive rulers, and while this was likely far from the truth, when we concern ourselves with the cultural standpoint of 18th Dynasty Egyptians, we only need to understand their viewpoint and opinion of the Hyksos. Ahmose I, ruler of Thebes, successfully drove out the hated Hyksos from Egypt, and reinstated Theban rule over the delta in Lower Egypt. These actions made him a much-beloved figure in the eyes of the ancient Egyptians, and this is why Hatshepsut proclaiming herself as a direct successor of Ahmose I was a smart move––she correlated herself with freedom from oppression and a somewhat legendary figure, who had ruled over Egypt some 80 years previous to her.

Actions As Pharaoh

Consolidating her rule, gaining power, and ensuring that power would stay were not the only things she accomplished, even if that is what most people recognize her for. She also completed a staggering amount of construction projects for temples, protected the borders of Egypt, led military expeditions into Syria and Nubia, and a rich trading expedition to the mythical land of Punt, which is presumed to be somewhere in modern-day Somalia. She was in control of a massive amount of wealth, without which it would not have been possible to assume so many building projects.

"Hatshepsut was able to exploit the wealth of Egypt's natural resources, as well as those of Nubia. Gold flowed in from the eastern deserts and the south: the precious stone quarries were in operation, Bebel el-Silsila began to be worked in earnest for sandstone, cedar was imported from the Levant, and ebony came from Africa." (Betsy M. Bryan, Shaw, 229-231)

Inscriptions at her mortuary temple in Deir el-Bahari go into detail about her expedition to Punt, as well, describing an immense amount of wealth.

"The loading of the ships very heavily with marvels of the country of Punt; all goodly fragant woods of God's Land, heaps of myrrh-resin, with fresh myrrh trees, with ebony and pure ivory, with green gold of Emu, with cinnamon wood, Khesyt wood, with Ihmut-incense, sonter-incense, eye cosmetic, with apes, monkeys, dogs, and with skins of the southern panther. Never was brought the like of this for any king who has been since the beginning." (Lewis, 116)

Her temple was such an immense work of art that it is considered by many to be one of the finest temples in Egypt, whose craftsmanship exceeded any Pharaoh before her and was only ever matched by Ramses the Great (Ramses II). She built throughout the country to such an extent that there are very few museums who concern themself with Egyptian history who do not have a piece of Hatshepsut's work. She added tremendously to the complex of Karnak at Thebes for the glory of Amun, and erected two giant obelisks there, alongside many other obelisks raised in other parts of the country. The Karnak complex is made up of three different precincts; the precinct of Amun, the precinct of Montu, and the precinct of Mut. The precinct of Mut had been ravaged during the Hyksos rule, and so Hatshepsut rebuilt and restored Mut's great temple in Thebes, once again honoring the Gods with her wealth.

Overall, she was an immensely successful Pharaoh. She added to the great temples of Egypt and built new temples, simultaneously giving honor to the Gods and employing the people. In these temples she performed rituals and rites traditionally reserved for the Pharaoh, which further confirmed her power and status reigning as a male Pharaoh. She led conquesting military campaigns into Syria and Nubia, protected the borders of Egypt from foreigners, conducted highly successful and bountiful trades with the people of Punt, who were highly rich in gold, and built one of the most beautiful and iconic mortuary temples known today, influencing the location of the future Valley of the Kings.

Death of Hatshepsut

Hatshepsut's death is unfortunately not well understood. Her body was moved several times due to complications with lineage, burial, and the right to the throne. There is a mummy that is proposed to be Hatshepsut. This mummy has a missing tooth in her jaw, and Egyptologists are in possession of one of Hatshepsut's teeth, found in one of her canopic jars. The empty space and the tooth fit perfectly together, so it is proposed that this mummy is Hatshepsut. However, later on, the tooth was identified to be a molar from the lower jaw, whereas the missing tooth from the mummy is in the upper jaw. There is a lot more to this than I am writing about; this is the simplified version because there's a lot of scientific know-how one needs to fully understand the complications of trying to identify a nameless and displaced mummy.

If this mummy is Hatshepsut, then Hatshepsut died from bone cancer. Queens in the family of Hatshepsut are known to have had genetic skin irritation, and the lotions used by the Pharaoh were a carcinogenic, benzopyrene skin lotion, meaning that over time, as Hatshepsut attempted to soothe her irritated skin, she would've been giving herself cancer. Alongside that, she also had bad teeth, which is why one tooth is gone from her jaw––it was removed, and later caused an abscess, which may have also contributed to her death.

Removal from History

Eventually, as we all know, Hatshepsut was stricken from the record. Her names were carved out, smoothed over, or replaced with the names of her step-son, Thutmose III, who took over as Pharaoh when Hatshepsut passed into the west. Many images and statues of her were dismantled, destroyed and buried, and there was an attempt to wall up her monument at Karnak. The majority of this historical re-writing took place at the end of Thutmose III's reign, when he was co-reigning with his son, Amenhotep II.

It is not entirely clear why this was done, but there are several theories, and I find it likely that they were all true in some way, and all contributed to the defacing of Hatshepsut's legacy. For one, rule of Egypt is a traditionally male role, as is shown in the first king Osiris and His wife, Isis, who were mythologically the first to rule over Egypt. Egypt was very dependent on the idea of Ma'at, which represents truth, justice, and most importantly, balance. Having a female Pharaoh was an upset of the balance and an upset of tradition, so it might've been seen as prudent to erase Hatshepsut's memory of female rule. Another factor is that the reusing of monuments was a common and popular practice of Pharaohs; they would take the already-built monuments of previous Pharaohs and inscribe their own names in them, claiming they were built by them. This saved money and resources. The last factor that I would consider a prime reason would be Thutmose III's son, Amenhotep II.

Amenhotep II had a very shaky claim to the throne. He was not the son of the Great Royal Wife; instead, he was the son of a lesser wife, Merytre-Hatshepsut. Amenhotep II was also not the eldest son. The eldest son of Thutmose III was born of the Great Royal Wife Satiah, and his name was Amenemhat. But both Satiah and Amenemhat died, and so Amenhotep II was who Thutmose III resorted to when it came to passing on the throne. Amenhotep II, who was insecure in his claims to the throne, usurped many of the accomplishments, deeds, and monuments of Hatshepsut. He neglected to record the names of his Queens, and he eliminated the giving of power to women, erasing the titles of the Gods Wife of Amun, and other such positions which had the chance to give any power to women. In my opinion, truly an unpleasant man. But fortunately these titles were restored by his son Thutmose IV, and we are not here to talk about Amenhotep II.

Overview

Hatshepsut was a great Pharaoh who accomplished great things and presided over an incredibly prosperous time in Egyptian history. This is likely why her name was stricken from the record and the name of Sobekneferu, the previous Queen-Pharaoh, was not. Sobekneferu presided over a time of chaos, so it was not important to remove her, as her rule could stand as an example as to why it was against Ma'at for a female to rule as Pharaoh. But Hatshepsut was extremely successful, and for that, she was removed. She built great monuments, added to the prosperity and health of the people, honored the Gods, and was one of the most powerful Pharaohs in Egyptian history. We will likely never know why she did all of this; why she was dissatisfied with her position as the God's Wife of Amun, why she proclaimed herself Pharaoh over her husband's son. But nothing bad seemed to ever come from her reign, and she is now remembered as one of the most iconic figures in ancient Egyptian history.

#Hatshepsut #ancient egypt #ancient history #history #egyptology #im just kidding about the intro btw.#i love doing these #like SO MUCH #so if you actually do want a little essay about a specific topic #send it my way

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anonymousewrites · 1 month

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Burden of Truth (Book 1) Chapter Eleven

Father Figure! Marc Spector x Teen! Reader

Father Figure! Steven Grant x Teen! Reader

Mother Figure! Layla El-Faouly x Teen! Reader

Chapter Eleven: At the Sarcophagus

Summary: (Y/N) and Steven find the Sarcophagus of Ammit's Avatar, but Harrow finds it, too.

Mouse Note: Listen...I can't say I'm sorry, but, uh, yeah.

(Y/N) and Steven continued on their way through the new tunnel. It was a bit caved in with bits of rock fallen in their way, but nothing impeded them severely. Finally, they rounded a corner, and another chamber opened up.

“Oh my stars,” said Steven.

“My god,” said (Y/N).

They stared at the room, lit by a ray of sunshine reflected off pools and trickles of water. Stepping over rocks, they approached the burial chamber of the pharaoh. Statues and murals lined the walls, and the sarcophagus itself stood on a dais in the center of the room.

Steven stared at the artifacts. “Thutmose III. Nefertiti. It’s gotta be one of the big ones.”

“You nearly kissed her,” said Marc, and Steven stumbled.

“Steven?” asked (Y/N).

“Just Marc talking,” said Steven, trying to ignore him as they continued.

(Y/N) frowned and looked at his reflection in the water. They wished they could still hear Marc. It was lonelier without him. They wished they could be with Layla, Steven, and Marc all together again.

“I should try to drown you or punch you again,” said Marc. “But you also told her the truth about why I’ve been pushing her away. And that was unexpected. And you protected (Y/N).” So he wouldn’t try to hit Steven.

“Are these Macedonian?” said (Y/N), unknowingly interrupting the conversation. They knelt by the relics and murals. “I can’t remember these symbols or translate them, but these are Macedonian, aren’t they?”

Steven knelt next to them. “No way. That’s impossible. Only one pharaoh…But he called himself Egyptian.”

(Y/N)’s eyes widened. “No way. No way. Is this really…?”

“I think we’re looking at the long-lost tomb of Alexander the Great,” breathed Steven, giddy and reverent all at once.

(Y/N) stared at it. “…Oh god. We have to open the sarcophagus.” It felt wrong to disturb the tomb, but this was Ammit’s tomb. Alexander the Great had been her Avatar. She needed to be stopped. Harrow needed to be stopped.

“That just feels wrong,” groaned Steven. “Everything inside of me is screaming not to open this thing.”

“You want Harrow to get to Ammit first?” said Marc.

“Of course I don’t want him to get to Ammit,” said Steven.

“Marc again?” said (Y/N).

“Yeah,” said Steven. He looked at (Y/N). “Ready?”

“As I’ll ever be,” said (Y/N).

Steven nodded. Together, they put their hands on the lid of the sarcophagus and pushed. It was tough going, but they managed to shit the top end of the lid off enough so that they could see the mummy within. This was the Alexander the Great. In the flesh (literally, since he was a mummy).

“Where’s the ushabti?” said Marc.

“He’s not holding the ushabti,” said (Y/N) at the same moment, frowning.

Steven nearly smiled at the coincidence and answered both at once. “If you’re gonna hide it for all eternity, you’d probably put it in a place where the average looter wouldn’t think to look.”

(Y/N) coughed and pulled up their sleeves. “Um, I think I know where.”

“Where?” said Steven and Marc at the same time, though (Y/N) could only hear one.

“It’s the voice symbolism again,” said (Y/N), grimacing and gesturing to the wrapped head and throat of Alexander the Great.

“Oh. Oh, gross,” said Steven.

(Y/N) steeled themself, reached out, and pulled away the wrappings around Alexander the Great’s face. “I am so sorry,” they muttered to the mummy and the memory of their parents. They shouldn’t be disturbing a resting place like this. But it needed to be done.

“Oh…” Steven grimaced as (Y/N) slipped their hand into Alexander the Great’s mouth and reached into his throat.

Forcing themself not to retch, (Y/N) felt a wave of relief as they felt a stone sculpture. Grabbing it, they pulled it out. The sunlight illuminated the return of Ammit’s ushabti to the world.

“We found it,” breathed Steven.

“Good job, kid,” said Marc, unable to hold back the pride. He deflated as he remembered (Y/N) couldn’t hear him now.

(Y/N) nodded and smiled at Steven in relief.

Footsteps approached, and they tensed, whirling toward the passage. They relaxed as they saw it was Layla. She had made it.

“Layla, look!” said Steven proudly, gesturing to the ushabti in (Y/N)’s hands. “We won!” He laughed.

(Y/N) frowned. Layla’s eyes were narrowed, and her body was tense as she came closer. Something was off.

“(Y/N) had to reach down Alexander the Great’s throat, but we found it,” said Steven. He frowned as he finally saw Layla’s furious gaze. “You alright, love?”

“Can he hear me?” she snapped.

“Alexander? No, I don’t think so. God, I hope not,” chuckled Steven, trying to keep the good energy going.

Layla kept going. “What happened to my father?”

(Y/N) frowned and flinched. They didn’t like the feeling that was appearing in the room. Everything had been going fine. And now, now, something was wrong. (Y/N) stepped back.

Layla walked up to Steven. “I’m talking to you.”

“What?” asked Steven.

“I’m talking to you, Marc,” snapped Layla, trying to get him to come out and speak to her.

Steven frowned, his eyes rolled up, and when Layla had him looking at her again, it was Marc staring out. He had gotten control of the body.

“Come on, come on, let’s go,” said Marc, trying to take control of the situation and avoid the conversation. He took (Y/N)’s arm and Layla’s hand, but Layla pulled back.

“No,” she said forcefully.

“We need to go right now,” said Marc.

“What’s going on?” said (Y/N), pulling the end of their sleeves.

“Marc, no. No,” repeated Layla, refusing to go with him. “What happened to my father?!”

“Listen to me. We need to leave right now,” said Marc. “I will explain everything, I swear. But we have to go.”

“He’s telling the truth,” said (Y/N), trying to help but unsure of themself.

“No, I want to know now,” said Layla. She glared at Marc. “Did you kill Abdullah El Faouly?!”

(Y/N)’s eyes widened, and their gaze snapped to Marc. Their chest constricted as the terrible question was left in the air.

“Of course not. Of course I didn’t!” said Marc.

“He’s…He’s telling the truth,” said (Y/N). “He didn’t kill him, Layla.”

“But he was there,” said Layla, seeing that Marc was evading the whole truth. “Weren’t you?”

“Marc?” asked (Y/N), looking at him.

“I—” Marc couldn’t answer. Lying was impossible, but the truth was painful. It would destroy everything he’d built with Layla and whatever had started to grow between (Y/N) and Marc.

“Yeah, you were there,” said Layla. She could read him clearly.

Marc swallowed. Softly, he admitted the terrible truth. “I was there. Yeah. I was there.”

“Yeah. And how did he die?” snapped Layla.

(Y/N) covered their mouth and stepped back. “The mercenaries and the archaeologists.” What Fitzgerald and Kennedy had said in the car.

“Kid—” Marc reached out to them, but he let his hand drop. “I—My partner got greedy.” He spoke quietly, tiredly, as everything he’d never wanted to admit forced itself to the surface and destroyed what he’d built. “He executed everyone at the dig site. I tried to save your father, Layla, but I couldn’t. And I—”

Layla glared at him. “No. But you brought a killer right to him. Right?” She shoved him back, and Marc just took it.

He nodded helplessly, willing to take any abuse to make up for the terrible things he’d done. “Yeah. He shot me, too. I was supposed to die that night. But I didn’t die that night. And I should have.” Marc gazed at Layla with so much emotion as she wiped tears from her cheeks. “I’ve tried to tell you since the moment we met. But I just didn’t know how.”

�� Layla sobbed. Then, she froze. “Oh my god.”

“I’m sorry,” said Marc.

Layla turned on him. “That’s the reason we met.”

(Y/N)’s eyes widened, and they clutched the ushabti tightly.

“You just had a guilty conscience?” said Layla incredulously, and the way Marc stared back at her was answer enough.

“Layla—”

The sound of a rolling stone broke through the moment, and they all turned towards the passageway. The rustle of footsteps grew louder.

“They’re here,” said Marc in alarm.

“There must be another way out,” said Layla, wanting to stay alive to keep being angry.

“Okay, go, find it. Take (Y/N). I’ll hold them off,” said Marc, grabbing an ornamental axe from the sarcophagus.

At the same time, (Y/N) took their moment to go with Layla to stuff the ushabti into the backpack to hide it from sight. The moment that Layla darted to grab (Y/N), though, Harrow and his numerous armed men stepped into the room. Layla had to hide behind a column, and as (Y/N) tried to scramble back, a guard that had snuck around the side grabbed them. (Y/N) yelped. Marc’s eyes widened, and he took a step towards (Y/N) but froze as the guard held (Y/N) tightly and raised his gun. They kicked at him, but the man was stronger, and (Y/N) was stuck staring fearfully at Marc.

“Be gentle with them. They’re just misguided,” said Harrow to the guard.

(Y/N) and Marc’s eyes went to Harrow as he stood in the tomb with them. The scarab that had guided him there fell into his hand, the magic having done its job.

“Just you two, isn’t it?” said Harrow. “The rest is silence.” He strolled closer. “I remember the first morning I woke up knowing that Khonshu was gone. The quiet was liberating. You’re both free. And, of course, with that freedom comes choice. And right now, you both have a very important decision to make.”

Harrow walked towards (Y/N), and Marc tensed. He smiled at them, and (Y/N) flinched. “I know it’s been hard.” (Y/N) fought to avoid his gaze. “Being used by the gods. Pushed so far. Being so alone. But you can be alright, now.” They shook their head furiously. “You have nothing to worry about. You can let go of all the pain you feel. All the blame you feel.” He smiled kindly. “I know you think your parents’ death is your fault.” (Y/N)’s eyes widened, and they let out a sound akin to a whimper, a desperate plea for him to stop. “You asked for them to show you Egypt. You begged them to take you to the place they’d met, fallen in love, worked and learned. And then they died.” Harrow reached out and put a hand on (Y/N)’s head, and they winced back. “That’s alright.” He removed his hand and took theirs into his.

Marc and Layla’s eyes widened as the cane began to swing back and forth. (Y/N)’s soul was being judged.

“Stop it,” shouted Marc, taking a step forward, but the guns raised and pointed at him.

(Y/N) was tempted to shut their eyes as the scales tattoo weighed back and forth. Unable to avert their eyes, though, (Y/N) watched as it settled. Their eyes widened. The scales were green. Their soul had been deemed worthy.

Harrow smiled. “I knew I had a good feeling about you.” He took back his cane and gazed at (Y/N). They reluctantly looked up at him. “Now the choice lies before you. You have been deemed worthy. Ammit wants you on her side. You can help relieve the pain of so many. You can have a purpose.”

(Y/N) stared at him, that word pulling at them, twisted around their heart and lungs. Their eyes flicked to Marc, staring at them with such worry that they felt their heart stir despite the pressure on it. (Y/N) looked back at Harrow evenly.

“I will never join you or Ammit,” said (Y/N), the words as honest as could be.

Harrow sighed. “I’m disappointed. Nonetheless, I’m afraid I can’t let you and live freely just yet.” He smiled. “We need the ritual to release Ammit.”

(Y/N) froze, and their eyes widened. Long ago, Ma’at had taught them different rituals, bits of ancient magic that might one day be needed. One was to release the gods from ushabtis. (Y/N) hadn’t understood the significance then, nor had they questioned why Ma’at wanted them to learn it, but now that Ma’at was imprisoned, (Y/N) understood. Ma’at had known her actions in the mortal world could get her imprisoned. She had made sure the Avatar she had basically raised would be able to come and free her.

Unfortunately, now, that meant (Y/N) could also free Ammit.

“Leave them alone,” said Marc forcefully.

Harrow turned to him with a smile. “After I bring Ammit to this world and allow her to create a better one, (Y/N) can live a life free of danger and worry. I just need them for a little while longer.” Harrow gestured to them. “And you could be a part of that world, too. You just need to do the right thing.”

Marc looked at (Y/N) and then at all the armed men. He knew how to answer. He grabbed the gun of one man and dragged him closer. The man stumbled, and Marc slammed the axe onto his arm before he could shoot. He slashed at the next closest man, and then he threw the axe at Harrow.

One of his guards stepped it front and took the blow, loyal until death. The man fell, and Harrow pulled something from the man’s belt as the guard fell. Harrow looked evenly at Marc, raised the pistol, and shot.

Bang!

(Y/N) screamed as Marc stumbled back, blood pooling on his white shirt.

“Marc!” they cried, trying to pull away from the guard. “No! Marc, Steven!” They screamed for both desperately, tears burning at their eyes.

Harrow stepped up and raised the pistol again.

“Please, please, please, no!” shouted (Y/N).

Bang!

Behind the column, Layla covered her mouth as tears spilled down her cheeks. (Y/N) let out another agonized scream. The second wound bled instantly, and Marc fell back. He collapsed off the dais of the sarcophagus and landed in the pool of water.

“I can’t save anyone who won’t save themselves,” said Harrow, daring enough to be saddened.

(Y/N) let out a sob as Marc’s body lay in the water, unmoving. He was gone. Steven was gone. The tiny bit of good and warmth and connection (Y/N) had gathered in their life had been ripped away once again.

(Y/N) was alone.

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world-of-mummies · 10 months

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Tutankhamun’s mother (The Younger Lady) 18th Dynasty (1550/1549 to 1292 BC.) The mummy known as “The Younger Lady”, formally identified as the mother of king Tutankhamun and full biological sister of the mummy known as KV55 (believed by some scholars to be that of Akhenaten but not officially certified). “The Younger Lady”, is a daughter of king Amenhotep III and his Great Royal Wife, Tiye. “The Younger Lady”, was found in tomb KV35 by archaeologist Victor Loret in 1898. She was laid out beside the mummy of her mother (Tiye) and the mummy of a young boy, possibly the young Prince Thutmose, a son of Amenhotep III and his Great Royal Wife Tiye. For a long while the mummy of Great Royal Wife Tiye simply went by “The Elder Lady”, until officially identified by a lock of hair buried within Tutankhamun’s tomb, labelled as the hair of his grandmother. This hair was a definite match for the natural hair upon Tiye’s mummy. Various scholars and Egyptology lovers have theories of the identity of “The Younger Lady”, identifying her as a secondary wife of Akhenaten, Kiya, and some even propose she is Nefertiti herself, however…these are simply theories. As of yet “The Younger Lady” has not been formally identified, other than her biological relation to the mummies of her mother (Tiye), father (Amenhotep III), brother (KV55) and son (Tutankhamun).

#tw: mummy #mummies #younger lady #18th dynasty #ancient egypt

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egyptologylessons · 1 year

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Pharaonic Swivel Rings of Thutmoses I and Hatshepsut (Father and Daughter) Thutmoses I’s Throne Name: (𓇳𓉼𓆣𓂓) 𓌸𓊹𓊹𓊹𓎟 “ˁ3-ḫpr-k3-rˁ mri nṯrw nb” ‘Great is the Manifestation of the Soul of Ra, beloved (of) all the gods’. Hatshepsut’s Nebty Name (the Two Ladies 𓅒 Nekhbet & Wadjet): (𓅒𓇅𓏏𓆳𓆳𓆳) “nbty w3ḏ.t rnp.wt” ‘The Two Ladies Flourishing in Years’ Fun Fact: It was Hatshepsut’s wish and command to be buried with her father in the same tomb 🥹🥰 The two gold band swivel rings have a faience hearr scarabs and are at located at the Louvre Museum in Paris, France @museelouvre (📸 Rings). 𓋹𓎬𓋹𓎬𓋹𓎬𓋹𓎬𓋹𓎬𓋹𓎬𓋹𓎬𓋹𓎬𓋹𓎬𓋹𓎬𓋹𓎬𓋹𓎬𓋹𓎬𓋹𓎬𓋹𓎬𓋹𓎬 @egyptologylessons 𓋹𓊽𓋴𓆖𓎛𓇳𓎛 © 𓊁𓊁𓊁𓊁𓊁𓊁𓊁𓊁𓊁𓊁𓊁𓊁𓊁𓊁𓊁𓊁𓊁 #Ancientegypt #ägypten #egyptology #egypte #egitto #埃及 #مصر #egipto #이집트 #swivelring #egyptianjewelry #thumosesi #hatshepsut #louvremuseum #louvre (at Louvre Museum Paris) https://www.instagram.com/p/CnMxX6OOCyb/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#ancientegypt #ägypten #egyptology #egypte #egitto #埃及 #مصر #egipto #이집트 #swivelring #egyptianjewelry #thumosesi #hatshepsut #louvremuseum #louvre

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thereader-radhika · 11 months

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Amenhotep II and Rajendra Chola I

There are some similarities between Pharoah Hatshepsut and Ko-Parakesari Uttama Cholan.

Both became rulers during turbulent times.

In Chola country, there were some succession issues that are still unknown to us and a young heir (Aditha Karikalan) and the king (Parantaka II, Sundara Cholan) died back to back.

In Egypt, Thutmose II was a physically and mentally weak ruler who died young. His sister-wife (yes, incest 😫) and stepmother of his infant son Thutmose III, Hatshepsut, became the baby's co-regent and later independent King. She died when Thutmose III was 24.

Both stabilised the economies of their states and led administrative reforms.

They groomed their heirs very efficiently. Hatshepsut's stepson Thutmose the Great and Uttama Cholan's nephew Rajaraja the Great would go on to become extremely successful rulers.

Amenhotep II and Rajendra Cholan, the successors of these Kings, would try to malign the reputation of Hatshepsut and Uttama Cholan.

When he was made the co-regent at the end of his father's reign, Amenhotep II chiseled out or replaced Hatshepsut's cartouches (royal seal), destroyed pharonic statues and covered up her monuments. Rajendra Cholan's Thiruvalangadu copper plates say that "paternal uncle (Uttama Cholan) coveted his (i.e., Arunmolivarman's) dominions".

Why did these kings do it? Didn't Hatshepsut and Uttama Cholan bring their fathers (possibly Rajendran too) up and train them for well? If they were problematic, couldn't Thutmose III and Rajaraja I have outed them from power? Arulmozhi Varman was supposedly so beloved that people were begging him to become the king. Hatshepsut and probably Uttama too placed the army under the command of their heirs.

At the same time, we don't have any reason to believe that Hatshepsut and Uttama weren't nice and their successors were anything but respectful. Thutmose was actually really fond of his stepmother (which was ofc covered up Amenhotep). Rajarajan named his son Maduranthakan. We will revisit this at the end.

It is interpreted that the reasons weren't troubled past or personal relationships. It is the future, the legacy. It comes across as extremely conceited and arrogant but kings placed a lot of importance on their lineage. It is the sole thing that differentiated a random talented person from the king. Establishing a line of succession was only second to having the support of the army. If they didn't know much about ancestors or if they were unremarkable, kings would even claim the legacy of gods and mythological heroes.

By excluding Hatshepsut from the list of kings, Amenhotep established himself and his children as the legitimate successors of the throne.

Ahmose I - Amenhotep I- Thutmose I - Thutmose II - Hatshepsut - Thutmose III - Amenhotep II - Thutmose IV - Amenhotep III . . . . . . you get the idea.

Similarly, by setting a narrative that the Chola crown always belonged to his father who magnanimously bestowed it upon the uncle temporarily, Rajendran ensured that he or his successors won't be troubled by Uttama's line.

Amenhotep and Rajendran didn't bear any personal grudge against Hatshepsut or Uttama.

Though Amenhotep tried to erase proof of Hatshepsut's reign as an independent king, her statues and inscriptions as the King's daughter, Chief Priestess of Amun and the Great Royal Wife were left intact. In fact he stopped those attempts too, immediately after he consolidated his rule.

Uttama Cholan is praised as an ideal man and king even in Thiruvalangadu plates and other inscriptions don't say anything bad about him.

Applying (his) mind to (the devotion of) Sarva (Siva), utilising (his) wealth in the act of performing his worship (employing) all (his) retinue in the construction of houses (i.e., temples) for him, and directing (his) subjects to (regularly) perform his festive processions, (showing his) wrath (only) in the killing of enemies and (distributing his) riches among virtuous Brahmanas, that king (Madhurantaka) bore on (his) broad shoulders, the (weight of the) earth.

Esalam copper plate, which was made at least after 25 years of rule (total reign 30 years).

Madhurantaka [Uttama], who wanted to re-establish on earth the auspicious path of justice that has slipped owing to the power of Kali.

But the story doesn't end here.

Sanskrit introduction of Leiden Plates aka Anaimangalam plates which is assumed to have been added later in Rajendran's reign praises him even more.

When that chief of kings went to heaven, the son of Gandaraditya, King Madhurantaka, he, of powerful arms and famous as Mahendran, protected the earth which had the ocean for its girdle.

The curious factor to be noticed here is that this grant doesn't mention the titles of either kings. Uttaman is mentioned as Maduranthakan and Rajarajan's son isn't Rajendran, Mummudi Cholan, Gangaikondan, or Kadaram Kondan- he is just another Maduranthakan. This might be the rare occasion of humility we see in him.

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#ponniyin selvan #ponniyin selvan 2 #arulmozhi #chola dynasty #rajaraja chola #Rajendrachola #uttamacholan #Uttamachola #Maduranthakan #ancient egypt #hatshepsut #Amenhotep ii #thutmose iii

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