In a study, Canadian archaeologists from the University of Toronto challenged the long-held belief that images of the female pharaoh Hatshepsut were destroyed out of revenge by her successor, Thutmose III. The researchers propose that the damage to her statues was instead part of a ritualistic deactivation process common in Ancient Egypt.
Led by Jun Yi Wong, a researcher at the University of Toronto, the team investigated the actions of Thutmose III towards Hatshepsut by examining field notes and artifacts from excavations conducted in the 1920s at Hatshepsut's mortuary temple in Deir el-Bahri, near Luxor, Egypt. Their findings, reported in Nature, suggest that the destruction of Hatshepsut's images aligns with traditional practices rather than personal animosity.
"A new analysis of archival materials from excavations in the 1920s shows that the damage to Hatshepsut's statues could have been part of a traditional ritual of 'deactivation' of statues, widespread in Ancient Egypt," said Wong, according to Nature. This ritual involved intentionally damaging monuments of deceased rulers to deprive them of power, effectively neutralizing their influence in the afterlife.
The researchers observed that many statue fragments from Hatshepsut's mortuary temple survive with nearly intact faces. "The nearly intact faces of the statue fragments suggest that animus towards Hatshepsut was limited," Wong noted. Damage was predominantly found at vulnerable points such as the neck, waist, and knees, indicating that some of the destruction might have been utilitarian.
Some of the damage to Hatshepsut's statues might simply have been practical, as the statues were often repurposed. "Some of the destruction of Hatshepsut's statues occurred due to their reuse in later periods," Wong explained. "After deactivation, the block-like bodies of the statues were probably used as building materials." The less reusable heads of the statues were discarded. Similar treatment was observed in sculptures of other pharaohs, suggesting a common practice rather than targeted vandalism. "This corresponds to the practice of ritual neutralization of statues, not acts of vandalism," the specialists explained.
Ancient Egyptians intentionally damaged monuments of deceased rulers to deprive them of power, which may have included Hatshepsut's statues. "In the process of deactivation, the power of the images as icons is neutralized and they become, as it were, mere stone again," Wong elaborated. This practice was widespread and reflected the cultural and religious norms of the time.
Previously, some researchers proposed that Thutmose III harbored hatred towards his aunt Hatshepsut. Hatshepsut ruled Egypt for about 22 years, from 1479 to 1458 BCE, and her reign is known in history as a time of successful conquests and large-scale construction projects, including the famous temple at Deir el-Bahari. The new findings suggest that the damage to her statues was part of traditional rituals rather than acts of vengeance.
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