Deir el-Bahari ( Western Thebes )

Valley, which name means i arabic Northern Monastery,  in Western Thebes, between el-Asasif and Valleys, Kings' and Queens', comprising temples  and tombs dating from the early Middle Kingdom to the Ptolemaic Period. The site consists of a deep bay in the cliffs containing the remains of of the temples of Mentuhotep II Nebhepetre, Hatshepshut and Tutmosis III, excavated by Polish archeological expedytion. The temple of Hatshepshut is the best preserved of the three, consisting of three colonnaded terraces imitating the architectural style of Mentuhotep's much earlier funerary complex immedietely  to the south of it.  Works on the design and their performance were directed presumably by Senenmut, the queen’s architect who held also many other court  responsibilities. His second tomb (the first – TT71 at el-Qurna necropolis) – DB353 was found nearby. Works on reconstruction of this ancient Egyptian structure for many years have been carried on by Polish archaeologists and restorers. Examinations and restoration works started in 1960 by Kazimierz Michalowski and continued through next years resulted in partial opening of the temple for visitors.
 

 1 - temple of Nebhepetre
 2 - shrine
 3 - entrance to royal tomb of Mentuhotep II
 4 - peristyle court
 5 - mastaba (or pyramid) style bulding
 6 - ramp
 7 - Bab el-Husan - entrance to the royal cenotaph
 8 - forecourt
 9 - kiosk of Tuthmosis III
 10 - causeway of Mentuhotep II
 11 - causway of Tuthmosis III
 12 - temple of Tuthmosis III
 13 - shrine of Hathor
 14 - upper colonnade
 15 - middle colonnade
 16 - third court
 17 - sanctuary in temple of Hatshepshut
 18 - shrine of Anubis
 19 - ramp
 20 - north colonnade
 21 - second court
 22 - lower colonnade
 23 - ramp
 24 - first court
 25 - causway of Hatshepsut


Temples of Mentuhotep II, Tuthmosis III and Hatshepsut
 

 The most important private tombs excavated at Deir el-Bahari are those of Meketra (XII Dynasty), which contained many painted wooden funerary models, tomb of Senenmut (TT353) on necropolis of nobles, and  XIth Dynasty shaft tomb at the southern end of Deir el-Bahari contained a cache (DB320) of many royal mummies from the Valley of the Kings reinterred there by priests of Amon during XXI Dynasty. Below full list of tombs on necropolis of nobles.

 

308 - Kemsit
310 - unknown (chancellor of the King of Lower Egypt)
311 - Khety
312 - Espekashuti (vizier)
313 - Henenu
314 - Horhotep
315 - Ipi
316 -
Neferhotep
319 - Nofru (wife of Mentuhotep II)
320 - Inhapy (Pinedjem II, royal cache)
353 - Senenmut (71)
358 -
Ahmes-Meritamun (daughter of Tuthmosis III and wife of Amenhotep II)

 

Copyright © 2000-2011 Dariusz Sitek, Czestochowa - Chicago - Ann Arbor