EGYPT: ARCHAEOLOGY

published in B&E 27/july 2007

Mush & monarch

Lost Egyptian queen discovered

She may not have been as beautiful as Cleopatra and Nefertiti; yet she was one the most powerful pharaohs in ancient Egypt. She was a woman in a man’s likeness- sporting a false beard. Queen Hatshepsut ruled Egypt from 1473-1458 BC, and was an able administrator and builder Pharaoh. After her death, her tomb was opened and her mummy moved into the tomb of her wet-nurse, In-Sitre, by her successor Thutmose III, due to his desire for personal aggrandizement, so that he could claim all the achievements of their joint reign for himself. The recent archaeological findings related to the discovery of Hatshepsut’s mummy in Egypt have opened a new chapter in archaeological studies. In an exclusive chat, Professor Salima Ikram of the Dept. of Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology and Egyptology, American University in Cairo, told B&E, “The potential identification of the mummy of Hatshepsut is extremely interesting, as it will fill a huge gap in our knowledge concerning the final resting place of the queen and will help us understand the burials of royalty, both male and female.” The latest discovery of the long-lost queen’s mummy becomes monumental, because this time the axe and shovel (the traditional tools of archeologists) have been fully aided by technology. Extensive use of DNA testing techniques, global positioning system (GPS), CT Scan and virtual imaging have all helped this recent discovery of the long-lost queen. The story of Hatshepsut- a symbol of grit and determination, is as relevant today as it was during the ancient times. She had to sport a beard to sit on the throne, speaks volumes about the struggle which women have to wage to be accepted in a male dominated society. Even today some women are required to undergo ‘sex change’ to claim their right over parental property.