Hatshepsut: Daughter of Amun

by Moyra Caldecott

  She was furious and pulled at the top bolt of the door with all her might. It gave only tardily after a struggle. She pursed her lips together. She would show that spawn of Set, that faeces of a dog! She seized the second bolt, but it would not draw. Swearing and cursing, she tugged and pushed and did everything in her power to dislodge it.

  Djehuti touched the door again and the two spyholes disappeared. His face was grave.

  She was convinced it was because Men-kheper-Ra had destroyed her name and her images and had not performed the correct ceremonies at her funeral that she was being denied access to the world.

  "Your ambition and anger, your self-will and self-love are still very active, daughter of Amun," Djehuti said. "If you choose this door now, you will be no more than a troubled and troublesome shade, caught between realms."

  “Give me another chance,” she cried. “I didn't know I was still on trial."

  "It is when you do not realise you are on trial that you are more on trial than ever," he replied.

  “It is unfair!” she said angrily.

  "Unfair or not, it is the way. But I will not stop you going through the second door if you are sure that is what you want."

  She turned her back on the second door and on Djehuti. What games were they playing with her, these gods?

  "There is a third door," Djehuti said quietly. "You are destined for the stars, favourite of Amun. Do not waste your time on anger and vengeance—they lead nowhere but to sorrow. Start again with a clear heart and try to achieve a higher and more worthy state. Try for freedom between the realms—not imprisonment."

  “But what trick will there be to this door?” she thought bitterly. “Is there no end to tests and trials and humiliation?"

  He touched the third door as he had the second and she looked through the two spyholes. She saw a world very different from the one she knew. It was alien and frightening, but it was a world of solid things and living beings of flesh and blood. But where were Senmut, Neferure and her son?

  "You must not look over your shoulder," Djehuti said quietly. "If it is the will of Maat that you meet again, it will happen."

  “Will I recognise them?"

  "You might or you might not."

  She frowned, suddenly impatient with all the imponderables of this world-between-worlds. Should she take her chances and try once more to reach beyond herself towards the Imperishable Stars?

  She took hold of the bolt and it seemed to her that she and the door were melting, dissolving into mist—her familiar shape was changing and she was taking on other forms, other dreams, other memories...

  She heard a name called—but it was a stranger's name...

  * * *

  Chronology

  A brief chronological summary of reigns and events in ancient Egyptian history relevant to the reader of this novel. The dates are drawn in main from John Baines and Jaromir Málek, Atlas of Ancient Egypt (Phaidon, Oxford, 1980).

  Outside Egypt between 3000BC and 2000BC the ancient Maltese temples were built, as were Stonehenge, West Kennet Long Barrow, Silbury Hill and Avebury in Britain. The Cycladic and Minoan civilizations flourished in Crete and the Eastern Mediterranean islands. Mohenjo-Daro in India and Sumer in the Middle East reached their peak.

  In Egypt before 3000BC, historians speak of the ‘Pre-dynastic Period'.

  Following are details of the Early Dynastic Period, the Old Kingdom, the First Intermediate Period, the Middle Kingdom, the Second Intermediate Period, and The New Kingdom.

  * * *

  EGYPT: EARLY DYNASTIC PERIOD

  ——— 2920-2770BC ———

  DYNASTIES 1, 2, 3

  Dynasty 3: King Djoser 2630-2611BC

  King Djoser's great architect and sage, Imhotep, designed and built the first major stone building in the world—the first pyramid—the Step Pyramid of Sakkara. Imhotep later became deified and associated with the Greek god of healing, Asclepius.

  * * *

  EGYPT: OLD KINGDOM

  ——— 2575-2134BC ———

  DYNASTIES 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

  Dynasty 4:

  Khufu (Cheops) 2551-2528BC

  Khephren 2520-2494BC

  Menkaure (Mycerinus) 2490-2472BC

  These were the builders of the Great Pyramids in Giza. Many others were built during the period of the Old Kingdom.

  Dynasty 5:

  Unas (Wenis) 2356-2323BC

  'The Pyramid Texts’ were inscribed on the inner walls of his pyramid at Sakkara for the first time. They were wonderful poems and spells designed to help and guide the deceased through the otherworld.

  Dynasty 6:

  This ended with the long reign of Pepi II after which Egypt seemed to sink into a decline.

  * * *

  EGYPT: FIRST INTERMEDIATE PERIOD

  ——— 2150-2040BC ———

  DYNASTIES 9, 10

  Central power broken. Warring local rulers. A period of uncertainty and violence.

  * * *

  EGYPT: MIDDLE KINGDOM

  ——— 2040-1640BC ———

  DYNASTIES 11, 12, 13, 14

  Dynasty 11:

  The unification of the Two Lands, North and South, under several kings called Mentuhotep 2061-2010BC. One built his mortuary temple and tomb at Deir el Bahri next to which, much later, in the eighteenth dynasty, Hatshepsut built hers. The seat of power was established at Waset (Greek name: Thebes. Modern: Luxor/Karnak). The later eighteenth dynasty kings looked back to this period as a great one and emulated it whenever they could. At this time an expedition was sent to Punt on the Horn of Africa. Later Hatshepsut sent her own expedition there.

  * * *

  EGYPT: SECOND INTERMEDIATE PERIOD

  ——— 1640-1532BC ———

  DYNASTIES 15, 16, 17

  The Hyksos invaded from the Middle East, bringing with them the horse and the chariot. Their capital was at Avaris in the delta. For the Egyptians it was a dark age.

  By the end of the period Theban princes led a revolt against them and drove them out of the country establishing their own right to rule the Two Lands.

  Ta'o I and Ta'o II (Sequenenre) and Kamose 1555-1550BC led the rebellion and established the next dynasty. Ta'o II had a very strong and long-lived wife, Aah-hetep I.

  * * *

  EGYPT: THE NEW KINGDOM

  ——— 1550-1070BC ———

  DYNASTIES 18, 19, 20

  The eighteenth dynasty and the early part of the nineteenth is often thought to be the high point of Egyptian civilization. Egypt was strong internally and by conquering neighbouring states established an empire whose tribute made Egypt rich. Pyramids were no longer in fashion and the kings dug deep into rocky cliffs to hide their tombs. Magnificent temples were built.

  Dynasty 18:

  Ahmose 1550-1525BC

  Warrior king. Strong wife: Nefertari.

  Amenhotep I 1525-1504BC

  He had a daughter, Aah-mes, by his sister, and a son by a lesser wife, Senseneb.

  Thutmosis I (Aa-kheper-ka-Ra) 1504-1492BC (Son of Amenhotep and Senseneb)

  Warrior king who extended the frontiers of the empire and consolidated power with diplomatic marriages. Was married to his sister who bore him a daughter, Hatshepsut. His son by a lesser wife, Mutnofre, became next pharaoh with Hatshepsut as his wife.

  Thutmosis II (Aa-kheper-en-Ra) 1492-1479BC

  When he died after a short reign his son by a non-royal wife, Ast, was still a young child. His sister-widow, Hatshepsut, was made regent for him. She decided to take the throne for herself and became pharaoh, taking male titles and wearing male attire.

  Hatshepsut I (Maat-ka-Ra) 1473-1458BC

  Female pharaoh. Famous for her magnificent temple at Deir el Bahri and her successful expedition to Punt. (As in my novel Hatshepsut: Daughter of Amun).

  Thutmosis III (Men-kheper-Ra) 1479-1425BC

  No one knows how he took over power from his stepmother-aunt, Hatshepsut, but when he did he reigned a long tim
e and was a very strong warrior king. He obliterated her name and her image wherever he could.

  Amenhotep II 1427-1401BC

  Thutmosis IV 1401-1391BC

  Amenhotep III (Neb-maat-Ra) 1391-1353BC

  Long-lived, rich and powerful. Chose as his Great Royal Wife and mother of his heir a non-royal lady, Tiye, daughter of Yuya, his Master of Chariots and his wife, Thuya (all of whose mummies have been found in a state of very good preservation). Is responsible for the Colossi of Memnon at Luxor, which were actually giant statues of himself on either side of the entrance to his luxurious mortuary temple.

  Amenhotep IV/Akhenaten 1353-1335BC (Wa-en-Ra) (As in my novel Akhenaten: Son of the Sun)

  Moved his capital from Thebes and Memphis to a completely new site called Akhetaten (now Tel el Amarna). Overthrew the traditional religion of Egypt and concentrated all religious aspiration on the one god symbolized by the disc of the sun emitting rays which held out the sign for eternal life: the Aten. His wife, the famous and beautiful Nefertiti, was given equal status. They had six daughters. (See my novel Akhenaten: Son of the Sun).

  Smenkhkare 1335-1333BC

  Tutankhamun 1333-1323BC

  (See my novel Tutankhamun and the Daughter of Ra).

  Ay 1323-1319BC

  Horembeb 1319-1307BC

  Horemheb reinstated the priests of Amun as a great power and turned the country against the memory of Akhenaten and his religion. In the king lists the ‘Aten kings’ are left out and Horemheb is listed straight after Amenhotep III as though the others had never been. He died childless and appointed his general, Rameses, as the next pharaoh on his death.

  Dynasty 19:

  The nineteenth dynasty with the Rameside kings now begins. By the end of this dynasty Egypt is invaded again and again and its greatest period is past.

  All dates are approximate.

  * * *

  Place Names

  The place names appearing in this book are followed by their modern equivalents:

  Djeber Mesen (Appollinopolis)

  Edfu

  Djerty (Tuphum)

  Tod

  Djeser Djeseru (Djeser-menu)

  Hatshepsut's Temple at Deir el Bahri

  Ipet-Esut (Thebes)

  Karnak

  Ipet-Resut (Thebes)

  Luxor

  Iuny (Hermonthis)

  Armant

  Iunyt (Tasenet)

  Esna

  Keftiu (The Island of the Bulls)

  Crete

  Kepel (Byblos)

  Jbail

  Khemet (The Two Lands, Black Land)

  Egypt

  Khemnu (Hermopolis)

  Ashmunein

  Kheny

  Gebel Silsila

  Men-nefer (Menufer)

  Memphis

  Nekheb and Nekhenom

  el Ahmar

  Nubt (Ombos)

  Kom Ombo

  Per Hathor

  Gebelein

  Punt

  Probably northern Somaliland, near Djibouti

  Serui

  Deir el Bahri

  Suan

  Assuan, Aswan

  Waset (Thebes)

  Luxor

  Yunu (Heliopolis, ‘On’ in the Bible)

  now buried under a NE suburb of Cairo

  * * *

  Gods and Goddesses

  Brief notes on some of the main deified forces mentioned in this novel.

  Much fuller accounts may be found in the following books:

  Hart, George, A Dictionary of Egyptian Gods and Goddesses, Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1986

  Hornung, Erik, Conceptions of God in Ancient Egypt: The One and the Many (translated by John Bains) RKP 1983

  Lurker, Manfred, The Gods and Symbols of Ancient Egypt, Thames & Hudson, 1980

  Rundle Clark, R. T., Myth and Symbol in Ancient Egypt, Thames & Hudson, 1978.

  AMMIT

  Hybrid monster waiting beside the scales of Maat in the Hall of Osiris to gobble up “unjustified” souls.

  AMUN (Amen, Amon)

  Primeval god mentioned in the pyramid texts. Later became a powerful local god in the Theban area and a major god in the Egyptian pantheon. Usually depicted as a man holding divine sceptre and ankh with a crown supporting two tall plumes. The name is connected with being hidden, concealed, invisible. “Hidden of Aspect"; “Mysterious of Form"; “He Who abides in all things". His symbolic animals are the ram and the goose. His great temple at present-day Karnak is still impressive.

  APEP (Apophis, Apopis)

  Appears in the form of a giant snake. Represents “non-existence", the “Void", which to the ancient Egyptians was a state as real as existence. The daily nightly battle between Ra and Apep represents the constant and eternal struggle between existence and non-existence. So far Apep has always been defeated, never destroyed. The possibility that Ra might one day lose is always there. The implication is that we are only held in existence by positive action on the part of our guardian gods against Apep.

  DJEHUTI (Djeheuty, Tehuti, Thoth)

  “The Silver Aten". The moon springing out of darkness to bring illuminating knowledge and wisdom. Lord of Time. Reckoner of Years. Inventor of writing and protector of scribes. Guardian of the “House of Life", where all the wisdom texts are kept. He wears a crown of the crescent moon supporting the full moon disc. He is represented in two forms: as man-bodied with the head of the sacred ibis, and as baboon. The ibis bird is white and black with a crescent-shaped beak. The baboon was adopted from an already existing god at his cult centre Khemnu (Hermopolis). Baboon troops greet the dawn with great excitement. This may be why they are associated with sacred matters. The Greeks identified him with their god Hermes, their name “Hermes Trismegistos” coming from an inscription at Esna: “Djehuti the great, the great, the great".

  HATHOR

  Her name means “mansion of Horus". Her main aspect is life-giving and nurturing motherhood. She and Isis are sometimes interchangeable as mother of Horus, though she is also seen as wife of Horus. Her cult animal is the cow. Pharaoh is often seen in reliefs and paintings as sucking physical nourishment and mystical wisdom from the udders of a celestial cow representing Hathor. Her sacred instrument is the sistrum or rattle. Music and dancing are very important in her cult. She was equated with the beautiful goddess of love, Aphrodite, by the Greeks. A child of Horus and Hathor is Ihy, who personifies joy through music. A well-preserved temple at Denderah is still to be seen.

  HORUS

  Sky god seen as a falcon with all-seeing eyes, the sun and the moon. The pharaoh is supposed to be Horus on earth. “The eye of Horus” is a very complex concept, one aspect of which rests on the legend of Horus presenting his own eye to his father to give him new life. He has many forms: one is Ra-Harakhti, representing one aspect of the sun. He is sometimes seen as the brother of Set, sometimes as his nephew. In either case both are opposing but complementary sides of a whole—good and evil, light and dark. He is the Egyptian god most readily compared to Christ. As son of Osiris and Isis he completes a sacred trinity, and as husband of Hathor and father of their son Ihy, he completes another. His temple at his cult centre, Edfu, is one of the best-preserved ancient Egyptian temples. It is still standing. The present building was raised much later than the reign of Hatshepsut, Akhenaten or Tutankhamun.

  MAAT

  Goddess who wears an ostrich feather tied very simply with a ribbon round her head. She personifies the order of the universe working harmoniously with the will of the divine initiator. You will often see a pharaoh presenting an image of her to stress that he rules with Maat—that is, in harmony with the divine and natural laws of the universe. It is against her feather the heart of the deceased is weighed in the Other World.

  MUT

  Chief wife of Amun at Thebes. Together with their son, Khonsu, she and Amun make up one of the important divine trinities of Egyptian mythology. She wears a vulture head-dress and the hieroglyph for her name is a vulture, but she can also ap
pear as a lioness or cat-headed goddess like Sekhmet in the north. Her name means “mother". The temple of Luxor was primarily dedicated to her.

  OSIRIS

  King of the Living in the Underworld (known as the “Duat” to the ancient Egyptians). His flesh is often depicted as green as he is the god of regeneration and rebirth. Images of him are often laid flat and filled with Nile silt and planted with barley seed at burials. Such Osiris-shaped trays of rooted and once growing barley plants have been found in tombs. Ra and he are “twin souls", the one reigning “above” the earth, the other “below". It is said he was once a king ruling on earth, destroyed by his jealous brother Set, restored to life just long enough by the magic of his sister-wife Isis for her to conceive their child, Horus, the falcon-headed god. Osiris, Isis, Horus form a divine trinity.

  PTAH

  One of the major creator-gods of the ancient Egyptians. There is a record of Ptah, self-created, thinking about the cosmos and then speaking it into existence. He is often depicted as a craftsman-creator and plays an important role at the “opening of the mouth” ceremony at funerals. This ritual prepares the mummy or statue to house the living ka of the deceased by touching his or her mouth with an adze made of meteoric iron. Ptah's cult centre was at Memphis (Men-nefer). Most of the great blocks from his temple are missing, having been carried away in past centuries to build Cairo.

  RA (Re)

  George Hart says of him: “Creator sun-god of Heliopolis. Re is the quintessence of all manifestations of the sun-god, permeating the three realms of the sky, earth and Underworld. Hence many deities enhance their own divinity by coalescing with this aspect of the sun-god”—for example, Amun-Ra. In the myth, the sun-god emerges out of the primeval waters on the first mound and as a trinity of force—Kheper (dawn), Ra (noon), and Atum (sunset)—bursts from the cosmic egg, which he/she has somehow laid, into multitudinous life. There are many creation myths in ancient Egypt, none of them logical—but many with a deep mystical integrity and power.