The Tomb of Hatshopsitu (BCP Egyptology)

In a rare gesture of feminine ambition, Queen Hatshepsut (Hâtshopsîtû) assumed the throne of Egypt shortly after the death of her husband, Tuthmosis II, holding on to power for two decades until 1458 BC. As pharaoh, she prepared a burial for herself in the Valley of the Kings. This extraordinary, spiral tomb was first cleared by Howard Carter, for Theodore M. Davis, between 1903 and 1904. Though officially emptied in antiquity, the tomb still contained many fragments of the burial, and two superb sarcophagi prepared for both the queen herself and for her father, Tuthmosis I. The Tomb of Hâtshopsîtû, first published in 1906, is Davis’ official account of this important discovery, with contributions on the historical background from Édouard Naville, and on the tomb’s excavation and finds by Carter himself, who was also responsible for the plates.