Egypt after Hatshepsut
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Approximately twenty years after her death, Hatshepsut’s nephew, Thutmose III, set about systematically, but very selectively, erasing her name and images from her monuments. Her “representations as queen were never touched; the attacks were directed solely at her kingly representations.” In most instances, Thutmose replaced Maatkare’s name with that of his father or grandfather, his direct male ancestors. However, the statues in her Mansion of Millions of Years, now called Deir el-Bahri, were completely destroyed and thrown into a pit that in the end mysteriously served to protect them. Centuries later they were discovered and lovingly reassembled. Perhaps these statues were simply too unique to be re-inscribed for someone else.
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