The mummy of Hatshepsut was found in 1903 by Howard Carter in tomb KV60, located in the Valley of the Kings. Carter discovered two mummies in the tomb: one was in a coffin, and the second was stretched out on the floor. Since the tomb had been ransacked in antiquity, Carter considered it of marginal interest and resealed it.
Later, while assembling unidentified mummies with their right arms placed across their chests in the royal posture for the Egyptian Mummy Project, some were studied using a CT-scan machine. Concurrently, a canopic box from the Deir el-Bahari Cachette (DB320), inscribed for Hatshepsut and containing her liver, was also scanned. Inside the box was a molar tooth with a root; upon examination, it was found to fit exactly into the mouth of one of the royal women.
After analyzing Hatshepsut’s mummy, it was concluded that she had died around the age of fifty, was obese, and had diabetes and cancer. The box containing the tooth is also on display near the mummy. It is believed that Hatshepsut was obese, had diabetes, and died of some form of cancer in middle age. After her death, her name was obliterated from records, believed to be an act of revenge by her stepson.
The famed British archaeologist and Egyptologist Howard Carter worked on excavating Hatshepsut’s tomb before discovering the tomb of King Tutankhamun in the early 1920s. Hatshepsut was one of the most prolific builder rulers of ancient Egypt, commissioning hundreds of construction projects throughout both Upper and Lower Egypt. Almost every major museum in the world today has a collection of Hatshepsut statuary.
“Hatshepsut’s achievements are relevant to us precisely because they were ultimately rejected and forgotten—both by her own people and by the subsequent authors of history. She was the most formidable and successful woman to ever rule in the ancient Western world, and yet today few people can even pronounce her name. We can never really know Hatshepsut, but the traces she left behind teach us what it means to be a woman at the highest echelons of power; she transcended patriarchal systems of authority, took on onerous responsibilities for her family, suffered great personal losses, and shaped an amazing journey out of circumstances over which she had little control.”
Hatshepsut was a significant figure in ancient Egyptian history for several reasons. She was one of the few women to rule as pharaoh, and her reign marked a period of stability and prosperity in Egypt. Hatshepsut is also known for her ambitious building projects, including the construction of the famous mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahari. Additionally, she played a crucial role in expanding trade and diplomatic relations with other nations, particularly in the eastern Mediterranean.
Hatshepsut’s reign left a lasting impact on Egyptian society, and her legacy as a powerful female ruler continues to inspire and fascinate historians and scholars today.
