Polish archaeologists identified unknown Hatshepsuts temple!

What can you see when you think of Hatshepsut temple? This startling (re)construction?:

Good guess! It's one of the most famous archaeological sites in Egypt, placed close to Luxor - by the way it has been reconstructed by another Polish team of scientists and architects.

This time Polish researchers announced discovery of unknown temple which was founded during Hatshepsut reign (1473-1458 BC). To be frank - its not gonna be tourist attraction for sure. First of all it was cut in the rock in Gebelein, about 30 km south of Thebes. It is not quite touristic area. Secondly, "the temple" consists just of two small chambers with some barely preserved decorations and hieroglyphic inscriptions. Shame, isn't it? Still, it is really interesting discovery for researchers interested in Hatshepsut reign. The place itself was already known to the local authorities, but so far egyptologists did not study its interior and hieroglyphs. Thanks to this expedition now we know that its was founded during Hatshepsuts reign.

Then "new" temple of Hatsheput - "slightly" different from Deir el-Bahari temple in Thebes :-), photo: W. Ejsmond

"This temple was dedicated to two gods. There is no doubt that one of them was Hathor, with the cult name Lady of Gebelein. The other deity could be Amun-Ra. Unfortunately, his depictions are not preserved and further studies are needed to verify this suspicion," explained to PAP Daniel Takács, a member of the expedition.

But how do scientists come up with Hatsheput name? Out of the blue? It wasn't easy because it seems that in antiquity royal names were already destroyed! Thanks to detailed analysis of fragments of preserved hieroglyphic inscriptions scientists came up with final conclusion -  that must be Hatshepsut!

Daniel Takács (R) and Piotr Witkowski (R) at work, photo: W. Ejsmond

The team directed by Wojciech Ejsmond from University of Warsaw was working in Gebelein under the auspices of the Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology.

More details on discovery: http://scienceinpoland.pap.pl/en/