The third terrace of the temple of Hatshepsut




   
Hatshepsut's temple, third terrace
 

The upper terrace of Hatshepsut's temple has a forefront portico with two rows of columns. The external row is made of square columns decorated with colossal osiride statues of the queen, of which only few remain. The inner row is made of octogonal columns.
When entering the court itself, the first noticeable thing is that it seems empty though it once contained two rows of colums, of which only a few one have been reerected.
On the left and on the right, the reerected walls have a (very) fragmentary decoration.
The back of the court houses the very heart of the temple: a sanctuary dedicated to the god Amun. It has been cut directly in the mountain.
On each side of the sanctuary one can see nine niches : small cult chapels alternate with niches housing osiride statues of the queen.
On each side of the lateral walls doors lead to chapels (not visitable) respectively dedicated to the royal cult and to the solar cult.

The portico with two rows of columns

Entrance and left wall The door leads to the royal cult chapel Back wall Back Wall. Entrance to the sanctuary
Right wall. The door leads to the solar chapel Right wall Right wall Entrance wall
Painted pilar Niche with osiride statue Niche with osiride statue Niche with osiride statue
Cult chapel Cult chapel Cult chapel Cult chapel
Cult chapel Cult chapel Cult chapel Cult chapel
Sanctuary of Amun Sanctuary of Amun Sanctuary of Amun Sanctuary of Amun
   
Sanctuary of Amun Way out!    

Bibliography

-NAVILLE Edouard :The XIIth Dynasty Temple at Deir el Bahari, 30th memoir of the Egypt exploration fund (3 vols), London, 1910.[republished by Yare Egyptology ]
-ARNOLD Dieter : The Encyclopedia of ancient egyptian architecture, I.B. Tauris, London, 2003
-WILKINSON Richard : The complete temples of Ancient Egypt, Thames and Hudson, 2000
-LIPINSKA Jadwiga: The Polish archeology mission at Deir el Bahari, KMT, 3, 2, 1992