Queen of Punt
Title
Queen of Punt
Date
ca. 1490-1460 BCE, the 18th Dynasty
Artist or Workshop
Senmut, the Queen's chancellor
Materials
limestone
Provenience
The Punt Colonade, The Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, The West Bank of the Nile River, Deir el-Bahri, Thebes, Upper Egypt
Description and Significance
Description
This panel from the Punt colonnade from the Mortuary Temple of Pharaoh Hatshepsut depicts three figures etched into the limestone. The figure to the far left is male, wearing a kilt with a sword tucked into the waistband. He has broad shoulders and a thin waist. He is turned to the left, only a profile of his face is visible, but the rest of his body faces forward. His left arm is at his side, clutching a rod that is only partially in view. His right arm is crossed at his chest, with his hand clenched into a fist. He is wearing a necklace, and has a long goatee that reaches his sternum. The figure in the center is a woman, who appears to be extremely obese. There are rolls to indicate extra flesh around her arms, her midsection, and around her legs. Her hair is down and behind her shoulders, but there is a thin strip of fabric tied around her forehead. Her sleeveless shirt hugs her rolls, and exposes her fleshy arms. Her buttocks and thighs are disproportionately large, partially covered by loose shorts. Her figure is humanoid, the deposits of fat are awkwardly spaced, and her buttocks extend far out, making her profile look like an “s” shape. She has a necklace with three, equidistant circles, and two anklets. Her left arm is at her side, with an open palm gesturing towards the ground. Her right arm is crossed at her chest, with the palm open and facing her midsection. There is a figure partially depicted on the far right, holding a covered pan with open palms.
Significance
This panel is located on the Punt Colonnade, a section of the mortuary temple dedicated to celebrating the political achievements of Pharaoh Hatshepsut in the land of Punt, an area “rich in resources” and invaluable to the Egyptians. This section specifically touts Hatshepsut’s expedition to punt circa 1493, which brought trees and other supplies back to Egypt. It depicts King Perehu and Queen Eti of Punt, but Eti is shown as portrayed as morbidly obese. This could have been done for a number of reasons, still debated today. It could be used to portray the wealth of resources in Punt. Another potential reason is to emphasize the “otherness” of people from the land of Punt, to stress the political accomplishments of Hatshepsut that she made trade relations with a land with people far different from Egyptians. This also could simply be how Queen Eti actually looked, with femoral obesity and random deposits of fatty tissue as a result of Lipomatosis or Dercum disease, now refered to as “Queen of Punt” Syndrome.
This panel from the Punt colonnade from the Mortuary Temple of Pharaoh Hatshepsut depicts three figures etched into the limestone. The figure to the far left is male, wearing a kilt with a sword tucked into the waistband. He has broad shoulders and a thin waist. He is turned to the left, only a profile of his face is visible, but the rest of his body faces forward. His left arm is at his side, clutching a rod that is only partially in view. His right arm is crossed at his chest, with his hand clenched into a fist. He is wearing a necklace, and has a long goatee that reaches his sternum. The figure in the center is a woman, who appears to be extremely obese. There are rolls to indicate extra flesh around her arms, her midsection, and around her legs. Her hair is down and behind her shoulders, but there is a thin strip of fabric tied around her forehead. Her sleeveless shirt hugs her rolls, and exposes her fleshy arms. Her buttocks and thighs are disproportionately large, partially covered by loose shorts. Her figure is humanoid, the deposits of fat are awkwardly spaced, and her buttocks extend far out, making her profile look like an “s” shape. She has a necklace with three, equidistant circles, and two anklets. Her left arm is at her side, with an open palm gesturing towards the ground. Her right arm is crossed at her chest, with the palm open and facing her midsection. There is a figure partially depicted on the far right, holding a covered pan with open palms.
Significance
This panel is located on the Punt Colonnade, a section of the mortuary temple dedicated to celebrating the political achievements of Pharaoh Hatshepsut in the land of Punt, an area “rich in resources” and invaluable to the Egyptians. This section specifically touts Hatshepsut’s expedition to punt circa 1493, which brought trees and other supplies back to Egypt. It depicts King Perehu and Queen Eti of Punt, but Eti is shown as portrayed as morbidly obese. This could have been done for a number of reasons, still debated today. It could be used to portray the wealth of resources in Punt. Another potential reason is to emphasize the “otherness” of people from the land of Punt, to stress the political accomplishments of Hatshepsut that she made trade relations with a land with people far different from Egyptians. This also could simply be how Queen Eti actually looked, with femoral obesity and random deposits of fatty tissue as a result of Lipomatosis or Dercum disease, now refered to as “Queen of Punt” Syndrome.
References
Ancient Egypt Online Website: http://www.ancientegyptonline.co.uk/hatshepsutmorttemple.html
Egyptian Dermatology Online Journal Website: http://www.edoj.org.eg/vol001/00102/07/quine%20punt.htm
Art History Webmaster's Association Website: https://www.bluffton.edu/homepages/facstaff/sullivanm/egypt/deirelbahri/deirelbahri.html
Ancient History Encyclopedia Website: http://www.ancient.eu/punt/
Egyptian Dermatology Online Journal Website: http://www.edoj.org.eg/vol001/00102/07/quine%20punt.htm
Art History Webmaster's Association Website: https://www.bluffton.edu/homepages/facstaff/sullivanm/egypt/deirelbahri/deirelbahri.html
Ancient History Encyclopedia Website: http://www.ancient.eu/punt/
Contributor
Nora Cheung
Files
Citation
Senmut, the Queen's chancellor, “Queen of Punt,” Digital Portrait "Basket" - ARTH488A "Ancient Mediterranean Portraiture", accessed December 20, 2024, http://classicalchopped.artinterp.org/omeka/items/show/56.
Item Relations
This item has no relations.