Queen Hatshepsut Temple Foundation Blocks Uncovered

Reuters

17:18 JST, January 15, 2025

CAIRO (Reuters) — Archaeologists have uncovered intact portions of the foundation wall of pharaonic Queen Hatshepsut’s valley temple in Luxor and the nearby tomb of Queen Teti Sheri, grandmother of Ahmose I, the first pharaoh of Egypt’s golden New Kingdom era.

The discovery of more than 1,000 decorated stone blocks on the outskirts of Hatshepsut’s funerary temple above was announced on Jan. 8 by team leader Zahi Hawass, an Egyptian archaeologist and former minister of antiquities who has been leading excavations at the site since 2022.

The 18th dynasty Queen Hatshepsut, who died in about 1458 B.C., was one of a small handful of women to have ruled Egypt. Her valley temple was intentionally demolished centuries later.

“This is the first time that we discovered 1,500 decorated blocks, the most beautiful scenes I’ve ever seen in my life with the color,” Hawass said.

A limestone tablet found at the site bore the name of Hatshepsut’s architect Senmut, who oversaw construction of the temple.