The solar altar in the Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari: architecture and ideology
2015, 24, No. 1
Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan
Publication date
Publishing model
License type
Field
Discipline
Language of publication
Downloads
PDF 227 KB
Number of views:281
Number of downloads:62
Crossref citations:0
Altmetric score:0
Abstract
In a recent article Teresa Dziedzic presented a theoretical reconstruction of the solar altar in the Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari, with two obelisks standing on the top of it. From both a technological/logistic and an ideological point of view this hypothesis seems untenable. An alternative reconstruction may be offered in agreement with the archaeological evidence and the ideological program of the temple. Statues of the king and of Amun-Ra placed on the altar served as focal points of an early version of the ritual of ‘joining the sun-disk’.
Keywords:
Bibliography
Arnold, D. (1992). Die Tempel Ägyptens: GÖtterwohnungen, Kultstätten, Baudenkmäler Zurich: Artemis & Winkler.
Arnold, D. (2003). The Encyclopaedia of Ancient Egyptian architecture. (S.H. Gardiner and H. Strudwick, Trans.). London: I.B. Tauris.
Badawy, I., Černý, J., Tanbouli, G., Moukhtar, G., & Youssef, A. A. (1989). Le grand temple d’Abou Simbel VI. La chapelle de Rê-Horakhty [=Collection scientifique 45B]. Cairo: Organisation égyptienne des antiquités.
Barguet, P. (1962). Le temple d’Amon-Rê à Karnak [=Recherches d’archéologie, de philologie et d’histoire 21]. Cairo: Institut français d’archéologie orientale.
Bell, L. (2002). Divine kingship and the theology of the obelisk cult in the temples of Thebes. In H. Beinlich, J. Hallof, H. Hussy, & C. von Pfeil (Eds.), 5. Ägyptologische Tempeltagung: Würzburg, 23.–26. September 1999 [=Ägypten und Altes Testament 33] (pp. 17–46). Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz.
Budzanowski, M. (2003). Sitting statues of Hatshepsut in their architectural setting in the Temple Djeser Djeseru at Deir el-Bahari. In J. Popielska-Grzybowska (Ed.), Proceedings of the Second Central European Conference of Young Egyptologists: Egypt 2001, perspectives of research, Warsaw, 5–7 March 2001 [=Warsaw Egyptological Studies 4] (pp. 17–28). Warsaw: Institute of Archeology, Warsaw University.
Ćwiek, A. (2014). Red and black world. SAAC, 18, 119–134.
Dziedzic, T. (2013). The Solar Altar in the Hatshepsut Temple at Deir el-Bahari. PAM, 22, 635–649.
Gabolde, L. (2012). Le parvis et la porte du IVe pylône à Karnak : Considérations sur une chapelle et des obélisques. In C. Zivie-Coche & I. Guermeur (Eds.), “Parcourir l’éternité” : hommages à Jean Yoyotte I [=Bibliothèque de l'École des hautes études. Sciences religieuses 156] (pp. 471– 492). Turnhout: Brepols.
Gabolde, L. (2014). Hatshepsut at Karnak: A woman under God’s commands. In J.M. Galán, B.M. Bryan, & P. Dorman (Eds.), Creativity and innovation in the reign of Hatshepsut [=SAOC 69] (pp. 33–48). Chicago: Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago.
Gundlach, R. (2009). Der Obelisk Thutmosis’ I. in Karnak und seine Bedeutung für den Tempel des Amun-Re. In R. Preys (Ed.), 7. Ägyptologische Tempeltagung: Structuring religion; Leuven, 28. September–1. Oktober 2005 (pp. 133–149). Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz.
Habachi, L. (1984). The obelisks of Egypt: Skyscrapers of the past. Cairo: American University in Cairo Press.
Isler, M. (1976). Ancient Egyptian methods of raising weights. JARCE, 13, 31–42.
Janák, J., Vymazalová, H., & Coppens, F. (2011). The Fifth Dynasty “sun temples” in a broader context. In M. Bárta, F. Coppens, & J. Krejčí (Eds.), Abusir and Saqqara in the year 2010, I (pp. 430–442). Prague: Czech Institute of Egyptology, Faculty of Arts, Charles University in Prague.
Karkowski, J. (2003). The Temple of Hatshepsut: The solar complex [=Deir el-Bahari 6]. Warsaw: ZAŚ PAN.
Keller, C. A. (2005). The statuary of Hatshepsut. In C.H. Roehrig, R. Dreyfus, and C.A. Keller (Eds.), Hatshepsut, from queen to Pharaoh (pp. 158–172). New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Krejčí, J., and Dušan, M. (2006). Research into Fifth Dynasty sun temples – past, present and future. In M. Bárta (Ed.), The Old Kingdom art and archaeology: Proceedings of the Conference held in Prague, May 31–June 4, 2004 (pp. 185–192). Prague: Czech Institute of Egyptology, Faculty of Arts, Charles University in Prague.
Kuentz, C. (1932). Catalogue général des antiquités égyptiennes du Musée du Caire: Nos 1308–1315 et 17001–17036. Obélisques. Cairo: Institut français d’archéologie orientale.
Larché, F. (2010). The chapel of Amenhotep II embedded between the obelisks of Tuthmosis I. Cahiers de Karnak, 13, 297–326.
Naville, E. (1895). The temple of Deir el Bahari I. The north-western end of the upper platform [=Egypt Exploration Fund 13]. London: Egypt Exploration Fund.
Nuzzolo, M. (2006). Sun temples and kingship in the ancient Egyptian kingdom. In J. C. Goyon and C. Cardin (Eds.), Proceedings of the ninth International Congress of Egyptologists, Grenoble, 6–12 septembre 2004, II [=OLA 150] (pp. 1401–1410). Dudley, MA: Peeters.
Nuzzolo, M., and Pirelli, R. (2011). New archaeological investigation in the sun temple of Niuserra in Abu Ghurab. In M. Bárta, F. Coppens, and J. Krejčí (Eds.), Abusir and Saqqara in the year 2010, II (pp. 664–679). Prague: Czech Institute of Egyptology, Faculty of Arts, Charles University in Prague.
Quirke, S. (2001). The cult of Ra: Sun-worship in ancient Egypt. London: Thames & Hudson.
Reeves, N. (2001). Akhenaten, Egypt’s false prophet. New York: Thames & Hudson.
Seidel, M. (1996). Die königlichen Statuengruppen I. Die Denkmäler vom Alten Reich bis zm Ende der 18. Dynastie [=Hildesheimer ägyptologische Beiträge 42]. Hildesheim: Gerstenberg.
Stadelmann, R. (1969). šwt-R’w als Kultstätte des Sonnengottes im Neuen Reich. MDAIK, 25, 159–178.
Tefnin, R. (1979). La statuaire d’Hatshepsout: portrait royal et politique sous la 18e dynastie [=Monumenta Aegyptiaca 4]. Brussels: Fondation égyptologique reine Elisabeth.
Verner, M. (2003). The Fifth Dynasty’s mysterious sun temples. Kmt: A Modern Journal of Ancient Egypt, 14(1), 44–57.
Verner, M. (2005). Die Sonnenheiligtümer der 5. Dynastie. Sokar, 10, 38–49.
Voss, S. (2004). Untersuchungen zu den Sonnenheiligtümern der 5. Dynastie: Bedeutung und Funktion eines singulären Tempeltyps im Alten Reich (unpubl. Ph.D. diss.). Heidelberg University.
Wallet-Lebrun, C. (2009). Le grand livre de pierre: les textes de construction à Karnak. Paris: AIBL.
Wilkinson, J. G. (1835). Topography of Thebes, and general view of Egypt: Being a short account of the principal objects worthy of notice in the Valley of the Nile. London: J. Murray.
Other articles from the issue
- Alexandrialate antiquityauditoriaamphoraemosaicsconservationIslamic cemetery
Alexandria: Excavations and preservation work on Kom el-Dikka, seasons 2012 and 2013
- Alexandriamedieval cemeteryIslamic necropolisfunerary stelae
Islamic necropolis at Kom el-Dikka in Alexandria: research in the 2010–2013 seasons
- Alexandriaearly Islamic glassMamluk glasstonguedscratched-engravedmarvered and enamelled decoration
Islamic glass from area U (2012–2013)
Similar publications
- Alexandrialate antiquityauditoriaamphoraemosaicsconservationIslamic cemetery
Alexandria: Excavations and preservation work on Kom el-Dikka, seasons 2012 and 2013
- Alexandriamedieval cemeteryIslamic necropolisfunerary stelae
Islamic necropolis at Kom el-Dikka in Alexandria: research in the 2010–2013 seasons
- Alexandriaearly Islamic glassMamluk glasstonguedscratched-engravedmarvered and enamelled decoration
Islamic glass from area U (2012–2013)