Hatshepsut Temple in Deir el-Bahari, Egypt - research and conservation work

Teresa Dziedzic

doi:10.37190/arc230401

Abstract

Situated in the southern section of the Upper Terrace at Deir el-Bahari, the Hatshepsut chapel is the largest hall chapel in ancient Egyptian architecture. For over a century, archaeological and conservation efforts have been conducted at the temple and Hatshepsut chapel. Much of the research has never been published, while others are mentioned in the mission’s annual work reports. The research and conservation work at the site needs to be ordered and summarised. The article aims to aggregate and structure information on the research and conservation efforts undertaken at the Hatshepsut chapel. Over the last century, various archaeological and conservation missions have worked at the temple and contributed their findings to understand the site’s history better. However, much of the work has not been published and is only known from field notes or typescripts. The research presented in this paper highlights the limited knowledge about Hatshepsut’s chapel, particularly in terms of conservation. Egyptological, archaeological, and architectural research conducted in recent years, which is nearing completion, will provide an in-depth understanding of the largest chapel in ancient Egypt. Supplemented with relevant research, particularly in the preservation of stone and polychrome, a comprehensive conservation program can be developed, thus paving the way for the chapel reconstruction project.

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2024

1(77)

Teresa Dziedzic*

Hatshepsut Temple in Deir el-Bahari, Egypt

– research and conservation work

Introduction

For generations, the relics of the ancient Hatshepsut

temple in Deir el-Bahari, Egypt, have been revered as ex-

traordinarily valuable and exquisitely beautiful elements

of ancient heritage, seamlessly merging with the breath-

taking scenery of the Asasif Valley, nestled in the foothills

of Mount el-Kurn. Recognised as a valuable architectural

and artistic monument, the temple has been deemed wor-

thy of inclusion – alongside the entirety of ancient Thebes

– on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

Since the dawn of heritage conservation, ancient ru-

ins have been regarded as acceptable, albeit sacrosanct

forms. It is worth noting that the canons of ancient ar-

chitecture, based on formalised solutions, could form the

DOI: 10.37190/arc240101

Published in open access. CC BY NC ND license

basis of a comprehensive reconstruction. The only accept-

able course of action with ancient monuments is anasty-

losis, which involves carefully reconstructing parts of the

ancient architecture while ensuring a clear distinction be-

tween the original and new elements [1].

The Temple of Hatshepsut, known for its outstanding

Egyptological and architectural research and preservation,

draws hordes of tourists from around the globe daily. To cater

to visitors’ needs and ensure the monument’s preservation,

the temple of Hatshepsut has been undergoing conservation

work since the onset of the 20

century. Extensive research

and conservation work is being carried out on every part of

the temple, including measures to protect fragile fragments

at risk of damage. However, the destructive nature of ar-

chaeological research often leads to the discovery of pre-

viously unknown vulnerabilities in the temple’s structure,

which must be quickly addressed to prevent further damage.

This article aims to aggregate and structure information

concerning the research and conservation interventions

conducted at the Hatshepsut temple. Over the past hun-

* ORCID: 0000-0003-2855-0074. Faculty of Architecture,

Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Poland, e-mail:

teresa.dziedzic@pwr.edu.pl

Abstract

Situated in the southern section of the Upper Terrace at Deir el-Bahari, the Hatshepsut chapel is the largest hall chapel in ancient Egyptian archi-

tecture. For over a century, archaeological and conservation efforts have been conducted at the temple and Hatshepsut chapel. Much of the research

has never been published, while others are mentioned in the mission’s annual work reports. The research and conservation work at the site needs to

be ordered and summarised.

The article aims to aggregate and structure information on the research and conservation efforts undertaken at the Hatshepsut chapel. Over the

last century, various archaeological and conservation missions have worked at the temple and contributed their findings to understand the site’s

history better. However, much of the work has not been published and is only known from field notes or typescripts.

The research presented in this paper highlights the limited knowledge about Hatshepsut’s chapel, particularly in terms of conservation.

Egyptological, archaeological, and architectural research conducted in recent years, which is nearing completion, will provide an in-depth under-

standing of the largest chapel in ancient Egypt. Supplemented with relevant research, particularly in the preservation of stone and polychrome,

a comprehensive conservation program can be developed, thus paving the way for the chapel reconstruction project.

Key words: Hatshepsut chapel, Ancient Egypt, Hatshepsut temple, Deir el-Bahari

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Nr 1(73)

2023

kwartalnik

Na okładce wykorzystano rysunek Tomasza J. Trzupka.

Małgorzata Chorowska, Roland Mruczek, Śląski krajobraz z zamkiem w tle.

Wrocławski donżon księcia-krzyżowca .............................. 3

Maciej Piekarski, Topografia XVIII-wiecznego Rzeszowa i jej relikty

we współczesnej przestrzeni architektoniczno-urbanistycznej miasta ....... 17

Agnieszka Chęć-Małyszek, Analiza pierwotnych układów funkcjonalnych

neogotyckiej architektury sakralnej na terenie województwa lubelskiego ... 31

Tomasz Jakub Trzupek, Kontynuacja typologii brył architektury nadświdrzańskiej

we współczesnych realizacjach .................................... 41

Tomasz Głowacki, Architektura nieobecności – fenomen,

który staje się standardem ........................................ 51

Jacek Wesołowski, Dworzec Łódź Fabryczna – postęp czy regres

w architekturze kolei? ........................................... 63

Bartosz M. Walczak, Rola projektowania architektonicznego w interpretacji

dziedzictwa poprzemysłowego na przykładzie

Wójtowskiego Młyna w Łodzi ..................................... 75

Magdalena Sulima, Ochrona zabytków architektury drewnianej i dziedzictwa

kulturowego Tatarów polskich (na przykładzie Parku Kulturowego Bohoniki

i parku krajobrazowego w Kruszynianiach) .......................... 85

Fikret Bademci, Zabytkowy meczet Kenan Dede Yanık o konstrukcji wspartej

na drewnianych kolumnach – propozycja renowacji ................... 97

Artur Kwaśniewski, Jak powinniśmy analizować historyczne obiekty architektury,

urbanistyki, sztuki ogrodowej itp. Autorska propozycja metodyki na potrzeby

planowania ochrony i adaptacji zabytków oraz dydaktyki akademickiej .... 105

Agnieszka Kurkowska, Bioniczne relacje jako cechy autorskiej koncepcji

biomorficznych form plastycznych przynależących do miejsca ........... 113

Ujal Abbasli, Güneş Mutlu Avinç, Semra Arslan Selçuk, Parametryczny projekt

dostępny dla dzieci cyfrowego świata: plac zabaw inspirowany

diagramem Woronoja ........................................... 123

1(77)/2024

4 Teresa Dziedzic

dred years, the temple’s archaeological and conservation

endeavours have signicantly contributed to the advance-

ment of research, enabling us to gain a deeper understand-

ing of its history. Much of the work exists only in eld

notes or typescripts and has not been published.

General description of the Hatshepsut temple

The Temple of Hatshepsut features three terraces,

and the highest platform serves as a protective element

(Fig. 1). The Lower Terrace is at an elevation of 102.13

meters, the Middle Terrace at 111.75 meters, and the

Upper Terrace at 119.9 meters. The temple’s highest el-

ement, the reconstructed platform, stands at 133.87 me-

ters [2]. On the lowest terrace, there is a courtyard that

is bounded by porticoes on its western side. A ramp con-

nects this terrace to the Middle Terrace, anked by two

porticoes on the west side, just like the Lower Terrace.

The chapels are positioned on either side of the entrances

dedicated to the temple’s worshipped deities: the chapel

of Hathor is found to the south, and the Chapel of Anu-

bis is situated to the north. On the third level are the

main rooms of the temple. One can also access this level

through a ramp. On either side of it are pillar porticoes

with Osirian statues. The main entrance is located on the

axis and leads through a portal into the temple’s central

courtyard. Beyond the courtyard is the partly rock-cut

Sanctuary of Amon, situated in the Festival Courtyard.

Additional chapels can be found on either side of the in-

ner courtyard: to the north, an open courtyard with an

altar of sun cult worship, and to the south, a sacricial

hall for Hatshepsut and Tuthmosis I, known as the Royal

Cult Complex. The entrance to the Royal Cult Complex

can be found in the Festival Courtyard’s southern wall on

the temple’s Upper Terrace. The most important chamber

in the Royal Cult Complex at Deir el-Bahari is the Chap-

el of Hatshepsut, the founder of the entire temple. The

Royal Cult Complex is located in the southern part of the

temple’s highest level and consists of two royal chapels

with vestibules and a small courtyard. One of these cha-

pels is the chapel of Hatshepsut, the founder of the entire

temple, which is currently under development. A smaller

chapel is dedicated to her father, Tuthmosis I.

The chapel is a hall covered by a partially preserved and

illusive vault, making it the largest in ancient Egyptian ar-

chitectural history (Fig. 2). The chapel’s fully preserved in

situ section is located on the west side. The chapel was de-

signed on an east-west axis, adhering to a rectangular plan.

At oor level, the chapel’s dimensions are characterised by

irregularity. They range from 13.33 m to 13.36 m in length,

from 5.23 m to 5.33 m in width, and their height from oor

to vault arrow is 6.28 m

. A 3D scan by LabScan, a divi-

sion of the Faculty of Architecture at Wrocław University

of Science and Technology, was used to determine the pa-

rameters. The chapel’s entrance is situated on the eastern

wall, with the chapel’s only surviving equipment, the blind

gate stele, positioned on the western wall.

Jadwiga Iwaszczuk [3] gives the following dimensions of the

chapel: 13.25 m long, 5.2 m wide, 6.35 m high.

Fig. 1. An overview of the

Hatshepsut Temple (photo

by author)

Il. 1. Widok ogólny świątyni

Hatszepsut (fot. autorka)

Hatshepsut Temple in Deir el-Bahari, Egypt 5

History of Hatshepsut temple research

and conservation

Since the early 18

century, many travellers, research-

ers, and collectors have visited the temple of Queen Hat-

shepsut. They conducted cleaning, documentation, and

excavation work. The temple and ruins of the Christian

monastery were rst visited and described by the En-

glish traveller Richard Pococke in 1737 [4]. Pococke’s

description of the temple showed that it was covered in

sand and debris, and he only saw the entrance portal of

the highest terrace and one hall, which he identied as

the Hatshepsut chapel.

The chapel was used as a church

in early Christian times, and Pococke noted an image

there representing Christ in glory. He also included

a plan of the ruins he saw at Deir el-Bahari. Subsequent

visitors to the temple were researchers from Napoleon

Bonaparte’s expedition to Egypt in 1798–1802, who pro-

duced a description and plan of the surviving ruins. The

description of the ruins made by Jean Baptiste Prosper

Jollois and René Edouard Devilliers contains informa-

tion about the early Christian period of the temple’s use.

They also saw a painting representing Christ in the Hat-

shepsut cult chapel and assessed it as a Christian chapel.

Their plan shows relics of the temple of Hatshepsut [5].

The rst archaeological excavations were carried out by

Giovanni Battista Belzoni and Henry William Beechley

in 1817, looking for objects for the collection of the Brit-

ish consul in Egypt. They likely uncovered the entrance

to the Sanctuary of Amon. However, they do not mention

any Coptic buildings [6].

Richard Pococke [4] calls Hatshepsut’s chapel “room C”.

Gardner Wilkinson coined the name Deir el-Bahari

(Dayr el Bahree) in 1843 when he published a book docu-

menting his observations from his travels in Egypt. During

his visit to the Asasif Valley in 1827, Wilkinson observed

a pair of sandstone sphinxes positioned in front of the

temple’s entrance, among other notable sights. He noted

the existence of a church and monastery from the early

Christian period. His publication describes numerous dec-

orated blocks and fragments of polygonal columns, like-

ly arranged in a peristyle. He noticed two names on the

granite portal leading into the courtyard: Thebes III and

a name that would indicate a woman (king). Wilkinson

also visited the chapels in the Royal Cult Complex but

only recognised the names of Thebes II and Thebes III;

he further mentioned a chapel dedicated to Thebes I, who,

according to the inscription, was the predecessor of the

founder of the building [7]. Jean-François Champollion

copied texts from the granite portals and the walls of the

Sanctuary of Amun in 1829, which he used to rene fur-

ther the hieroglyphic writing he had read earlier. In his

description of the temple at Deir el-Bahari, Champollion

also reports the presence of unred brick structures on the

northeastern side of the highest terrace, along with plas-

terwork in Hatshepsut’s temple [8]. Scottish anthropolo-

gist and artist Robert Hay made several trips to Egypt be-

tween 1824 and 1840 and created drawings of the temple

of Hatshepsut, possibly dating back to 1832. His concise

plan regarding Deir el-Bahari was undoubtedly the most

elaborate plan produced at the time. It showed various

elements of early Christian architecture. His sketches

provide the necessary dimensions for a theoretical recon-

struction of the Coptic structures on the temple’s second

and third terraces. Cross-sectional drawings taken through

the ruins show the state of the walls and the nature and

Fig. 2. Hatshepsut chapel, view of the west wall. State as of 2009 (photo by T. Dziedzic)

Il. 2. Kaplica Hatszepsut, widok na ścianę zachodnią, stan z 2009 r. (fot. T. Dziedzic)

6 Teresa Dziedzic

composition of the debris that blankets the temple area

[9]. Karl Richard Lepsius, a German scientist, worked at

the temple in the mid-19

century. In 1845, he excavat-

ed and documented essential ndings, such as the Royal

Cult Complex and a section of Hatshepsut’s shrine [10].

Nonetheless, Auguste Mariette, a French archaeologist

and the founder of the Egyptian Antiquities Service initi-

ated the rst organised excavations in 1855. He excavat-

ed the Upper Terrace within the courtyard, revealing the

southern portion that housed Coptic structures. M. Brune,

an architect who collaborated with him, created the rst

theoretical reconstruction of the temple [11]. According to

Édouadr Naville, Mariette unearthed Hatshepsut’s temple,

which showed evidence of use by Coptic monks in early

Christian times. He recalls the chapel being equipped with

an altar in an alcove and a structure resembling a bed or

seats. These structures were made of dried brick. As stated

by Naville, these were the tombs of monks, which con-

tained mummies clad in leather aprons and belts but with

no other embellishments on them. Naville reports that

the chapel’s walls were coated in white plaster, conceal-

ing the original decorations, and the inscriptions on the

granite stele were eroded entirely. He also mentions the

chapel’s partially preserved vault [12]. One of the most

signicant milestones in the unearthing of the temple was

when Édouard Naville, a professor of Egyptology from

Switzerland, led the British mission coordinated by the

Egypt Exploration Fund (EEF). In 1891, Naville decided

to commence work at Thebes. Collaborating with archi-

tect John Ernest Newberry, they cleared out most of the

buried courtyards, chapels, and colonnades in the north-

ern part of the temple. In addition to the archaeological

work, conservation and reconstruction works were car-

ried out. Furthermore, the walls of the main Amun Sanc-

tuary were fortied, and measures were taken to secure

the excavated walls of the upper courtyard, the chapels

of the Royal Cult Complex, the Hathor chapel, and the

lower northern portico [13]. Another individual involved

in the project was Somers Clarke, who documented the

temple’s architecture and published it in the sixth volume

of a publication edited by Naville from 1895 to 1908. The

period was marked by a substantial amount of restoration

and conservation work. The archaeological team made an

exciting discovery during their work – the wall that once

separated the chapel of Tuthmosis I from the Hatshepsut

chapel had been toppled. Consequently, the wall under-

went reconstruction from 1897 to 1898, utilising new

stone material and the original blocks. The placement of

these blocks was determined through detailed epigraphic

research [14]. In 1911, Herbert E. Winlock began work on

the temple of Hatshepsut, heading the American mission

of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Over the

next two decades, the Americans involved in the temple

project unearthed multiple tombs, sarcophagi, mummies,

and sculptures. Winlock has published comprehensive re-

ports detailing the progress made throughout each work

season. Winlock’s archival photographic records conrm

that, during his mission at the temple, the walls of Hat-

shepsut’s shrine were only partially reconstructed (Fig. 3).

Èmile Baraize, the French architect, commenced his

comprehensive restoration project in partnership with

Winlock. He served as the technical director overseeing the

Antiquities Service in Upper Egypt. He carried out his work

between 1925 and 1952 [15]. He rebuilt most of Naville’s

reconstructions using natural stone, reinforced concrete,

cement, gypsum, and oil paint. He also included original

elements in the reconstruction [16]. However, there is no

evidence of any documentation about the work that was

executed. At the end of 1961, the concession to carry out

research and conservation work at the temple of Hatshepsut

was granted to the Polish Mediterranean Archaeology Sta-

tion of the University of Warsaw by Professor Kazimierz

Michałowski. Leszek Dąbrowski, the chief architect of the

Polish Station’s facility in Cairo, led the mission. Archae-

ological and conservation work focused on the Festival

Courtyard and Coronation Portico. The Royal Cult Com-

plex was shielded from the elements solely by installing

a canopy [17]. In January 1968, the mission of the Univer-

sity of Warsaw’s Mediterranean Archaeology Station was

replaced by a mission from the Polish Studios for Conser-

vation of Cultural Property under the direction of architect

Zygmunt Wysocki. Architectural research commenced in

1972 [18]. The primary focus of the initial restoration works

was on the courtyard and the Coronation Portico, where the

predecessors’ eorts were continued. The years 1986–1987

and 1987–1988 marked the completion of an architectur-

al survey, an inventory of the existing condition, and the

initiation of a project to reconstruct the south wall of the

courtyard adjacent to the Royal Cult Complex. As part of

the architectural survey, a probing trench was dug beneath

the southern wall, specically within the passage that con-

nects to the room featuring the “window of appearance”

(“butchery”). Moreover, a probing trench was excavated

at the southern wall of the Upper Terrace within the Roy-

al Cult Complex, situated next to the temple of Thebes III

[19]. In 1993, the Centre for Mediterranean Archaeology of

the University of Warsaw, led by Franciszek Pawlicki, PhD,

resumed its mission to excavate the temple of Hatshepsut.

Fig. 3. The Hatshepsut chapel as of 1912

(source: Archive of the Maison de l’Orient et de la

Méditerranée Jean Pouilloux Université Lumière Lyon)

Il. 3. Kaplica Hatszepsut, stan z 1912 r.

(źródło: Archive of the Maison de l’Orient et de la

Méditerranée Jean Pouilloux Université Lumière Lyon)

Hatshepsut Temple in Deir el-Bahari, Egypt 7

The approved conservation programme, endorsed by the

Egyptian Antiquities Organisation, focused on researching

and conserving the third terrace of the temple. A compre-

hensive examination of the architectural and epigraphic

components was undertaken to guide the development of

the Upper Terrace courtyard reconstruction [20]. The work

was focused on continuing the reconstruction of the south

wall of the Festival Courtyard. Once the rock rubble ll-

ing the wall’s interior was stabilised, attention was turned

to stabilising the individual blocks of the wall. The focus

of the restoration work in the following season was on the

section of the south wall in the courtyard, specically in the

vicinity of the “window of appearance” room. From 1999

to 2019, the mission was led by Zbigniew Szafranski, PhD.

Initially, the mission was dedicated to work within the Sun

Cult Complex. In contrast, the Royal Cult Complex has

been the site of ongoing research in Egyptology, archaeolo-

gy, and architecture for several years. Out of all the conser-

vation eorts, only the reconstruction of the eastern wall in

the complex’s courtyard has been executed [21].

State of preservation

The Hatshepsut chapel and its vestibule are only par-

tially preserved in situ, and the present-day dimensions of

both result from reconstructions carried out primarily in

the early 20

century. The heights of the walls’ sections

dier, ranging from 3.5 m to the chapel’s fully preserved

height of 6.28 m in the western section. Original blocks

were used to supplement the walls during the reconstruc-

tion work, although they were not always inserted correct-

or replaced with contemporary blocks. The Royal Cult

Complex was constructed entirely with limestone sourced

from the local area. Tests performed on mortar samples

collected from the temple of Hatshepsut indicated that the

mortars used for masonry and plastering combined gyp-

sum and calcium carbonate [22]. The chapel is bedded on

a foundation of levelled clay rock, specically Esna slate.

A reconstruction study of the chapel is being prepared by a team

of Egyptologists led by Miroslaw Barwik of the University of Warsaw.

Fig. 4. Marked location of Hatshepsut’s chapel within the Royal Cult Complex (drawing by T. Dziedzic)

Il. 4. Zespół Kultu Królewskiego z zaznaczoną lokalizacją kaplicy Hatszepsut (rys. T. Dziedzic)

8 Teresa Dziedzic

The foundation under the walls comprised one or two lay-

ers of stone blocks laid directly on levelled rock. The orig-

inal foundation blocks were not fully intact beneath all

the walls, so modern preservation eorts involved lling

in the gaps with new limestone blocks or bricks. Several

sections around the chapel walls still have traces of the

original oor. One-third of the chapel’s length features

exposed oor blocks that date back to the early Christian

period, which are reused ancient blocks (Fig. 4).

Research and conservation work

at the Hatshepsut chapel

Somers Clarke made the earliest observations regarding

the preservation and protection of the temple’s relics. He

stated the adverse eects of too-dry air on the temple’s stone

edice, which absorbs water rapidly at the slightest rainfall.

Clarke highlighted that the temple’s stone building quickly

absorbs water, causing the paintings to run down and the

carvings to ake. In addition, he pointed out the detrimental

eects of signicant dierences in daily temperature [23].

During the Egypt Exploration Fund mission, restoration

was carried out at the Hatshepsut chapel, lling the cavities

in the north and west walls with original and newly exca-

vated limestone blocks. The restored section on the north

wall starts 1.48 m from the northwest corner and is 2.61 m

long. In the 1912 photograph (Fig. 3), we see the restoration

work already completed after the mission led by Naville.

In the 1960s, the chapels of Hatshepsut and Tuthmo-

sis I in the Royal Cult Complex were protected by a tim-

ber-framed roof with an eternity cladding (Fig. 5).

The initial documented architectural examination of

the chapel took place in the 1980s when the founda-

tions of the southern wall in the chapel vestibule were

uncovered

. During excavations in the south section of

Probe excavation “B” (S-2/88) [24].

the chapel vestibule, the foundations were uncovered,

and their depth was determined. In the southwest cor-

ner, the foundations rested on a bedrock of clay shale

and reached a level of 0.60–0.9 m, measured from the

oor surface. Conversely, in the southeastern corner, the

foundation level extended to a depth of 2.9 m below the

oor level. It was also established that the south wall of

the Hatshepsut chapel vestibule stands on an original

foundation built of regular blocks but was re-bricked

to be reinforced with several blocks in cement or ce-

ment-lime mortar. The Winlock mission undertaken

in the interwar period likely played a signicant role

in securing it [24]. Further work in the chapel was not

carried out until 2003–2004, when the foundations of

the chapel’s north wall were unveiled. This work was

undertaken in response to discovering several fractures

in the wall, which may suggest underlying issues with-

in the foundation or bedrock. Furthermore, the decision

was taken at that juncture to commence an archaeolog-

ical survey of the region, given that the unearthing of

a burial shaft had already been recorded in 1982. The

investigation of the foundations uncovered that in the

wall section reconstructed by Naville in the north–west

corner, much like the northeast corner, the underlying

rock bed under the foundation blocks is destabilised

by excavated shaft graves. The excavation unveiled

two graves from the late period (S.7A/82 and S.1/04).

Shaft grave S.7A/82 was partially uncovered in 1982

but unexplored then. The burial chamber, devoid of

decorations, contained artefacts that provided evidence

of a combination of the Third Transitional Period, New

Kingdom, and early Christian materials. This supports

the assertion that the tomb had already been tampered

with at the turn of the 20

century. Grave shaft S.1/04

was located in the northeast corner of the chapel, and its

entrance was discovered to be 0.8 m below the level of

the chapel oor. Previous repairs to this section of the

Fig. 5. View of the temple’s

upper terrace with the royal

cult complex in the

background and the chapels

covered by a provisional roof.

State as of 1969–1970

(source: Archive of the Centre

for Mediterranean

Archaeology, University of

Warsaw, negative no. 0149)

Il. 5. Widok na taras górny

świątyni, w głębi Zespół

Kultu Królewskiego z

kaplicami przykrytymi

dachem tymczasowym

(źródło: archiwum Centrum

Archeologii

Śródziemnomorskiej

Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego,

negatyw nr 0149)

Hatshepsut Temple in Deir el-Bahari, Egypt 9

wall foundations were unveiled and found to be made

of red brick in cement-lime mortar. Engineer Mieczy-

slaw Michiewicz’s structural analysis revealed that the

brick foundation, instead of serving its intended struc-

tural purpose, was merely a supercial covering for the

internal backll

. The north wall was reinforced in its

two sections on the east and west sides. A double-angle

bracket was placed beneath the foundation blocks and

above the entrance to the grave shaft. This bracket pro-

vides additional support for the weakened parts of the

wall by resting on the cleared rock surface. Regarding

the southern wall of the chapel, only ad hoc cleaning

of the relief fragments was performed during this work

cycle, specically to establish their authenticity for

epigraphic research [25]. During archaeological work

carried out during the 2004–2005 season, another grave

– S.7B/82 – was uncovered in the southwest corner of

the chapel. A shaft hollowed out in the rock had also

weakened and destabilised the rock base beneath the

south wall. The absence of several blocks of wall foun-

dation magnied the resulting gap. The wall foundation

consisted of a single layer of blocks, which also served

as the oor blocks [26]. A rock rubble backll, consist-

ing of limestone fragments and dried brick, was found

beneath the wall in a specic section measuring approx-

imately 1 meter and located 1.60 meters from the south-

west corner. The depth of the void varied from 0.36 m

to 0.64 m and from 1.2 to 1.3 m in several places, and

the depth of the blocks of the rst wall layer ranged

from 0.4 m to 0.42 m. The stability of these blocks re-

lied partially on loosely positioned crumbled foundation

blocks resting on eroded rock. Mieczyslaw Michiewicz

deemed the support inadequate, prompting the decision

to implement point support for this wall section. Work

began by covering the rock foundation with adhesive to

Based on own eld research.

isolate the rock (Esna slate) from the wet masonry work.

The foundations underneath the wall were reinforced

using limestone blocks, and the missing fragment of the

oor was subsequently completed by reusing the three

original blocks

. Archaeological excavations occurred

along the south wall between 2005 and 2007, revealing

its foundation and enabling an assessment of its condi-

tion. These wall sections no longer required structural

reinforcement of the wall foundation.

In 2009, architectural documentation of the Hatshep-

sut temple was carried out, mainly encompassing its

Upper Terrace. The Hatshepsut Chapel underwent scan-

ning, which involved taking orthophotos that formed the

basis of the architectural and conservation research. The

scanning was carried out by a team from the 3D Scan-

ning and Modelling Laboratory (LabScan3D) and Leica

Geosystems Poland under the direction of Professor Ja-

cek Kościuk. The entire scanning project took place in

two phases – scanning and documenting previously

scanned areas with high-resolution digital images. A de-

tailed discussion of the documentation process has been

published by Jacek Kościuk [27].

In 2013, maps of the damage to the walls of the Hat-

shepsut Chapel were created using 3D scanning and or-

thophotos, which served as the foundation for the con-

servation guidelines. Architect Aleksandra Brzozowska,

art conservators Rajmund Gazda and Maria Gąsior, and

engineer Mieczysław Michiewicz compiled the docu-

mentation (Fig. 6).

The damage map revealed signicant cracks, losses,

displacements, and damage in the form of face aking

in the stone blocks. Biological build-up, near-surface

staining of stones, and discolourations were noted on

the surfaces of the walls. Signicant elements on the

walls were surviving fragments of early Christian silt

Based on own eld research.

Fig. 6. Damage map – fragment, north wall of Hatshepsut Chapel, 2013

(source: Archive of the Centre for Mediterranean Archaeology, University of Warsaw)

Il. 6. Mapa zniszczeń – fragment, ściana północna kaplicy Hatszepsut, 2013

(źródło: archiwum Centrum Archeologii Śródziemnomorskiej Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego)

10 Teresa Dziedzic

mortar and additions to the block form in ancient mor-

tar. During a macroscopic examination, several types

of ancient mortar were observed, which may indicate

repairs already undertaken at Hatshepsut Chapel. The

damage map did not include information on the state

of preservation of the relief and polychrome due to the

numerous intentional ancient and early Christian dam-

ages, which should be analysed by Egyptologists and

painting conservators.

In 2013, a signicant conservation project was un-

dertaken at the Hatshepsut Chapel to expose and open

up the tomb of members of the royal family from the

23–25

dynasty (S.7A/82) (Fig. 7). A manhole was de-

signed, and a steel ladder permanently installed. The

manhole was made of insulated glass (three layers of

bonded reinforced glass) with a stainless-steel frame.

The design accounted for the glass’s load-bearing capac-

ity of 4 kN (four people) and the convenience of open-

ing the hatch using gas struts. The ladder’s xing anchor

spacing was determined based on the type of steel, step

spacing, and strength calculations. The grave shaft and

its chamber were equipped with electrical installation.

The entire project was designed by engineer Mieczysław

Michiewicz, who supervised the project.

The only mortar survey within the Hatshepsut shrine

was carried out in 2015. In this case, only two samples

were analysed: the mortar from the vestibule (south wall)

and a sample from the chapel vault. The research was con-

ducted by a team from the Technology and Conservation

Laboratory of the Faculty of Architecture at Wrocław Uni-

versity of Science and Technology in collaboration with

Wojciech Bartz, PhD, from the University of Wrocław.

The ndings were published in the article Mineralogical

characteristic of mortars from the Temple of Hatshepsut

at Deir el-Bahari: Preliminary report. The research was

preliminary due to insucient material. Extending the

scope to include analyses of additional mortar samples

would enable a better understanding of the chemical com-

position of the building materials used to construct one of

the most important structures in architectural history and

their detailed characterisation.

Conclusions

The research ndings presented in this paper shed light

on the limited awareness regarding the conservation of

the Hatshepsut temple. The Egyptological, archaeologi-

cal and architectural research conducted by the mission’s

members in recent years will provide a comprehensive

understanding of ancient Egypt’s largest temple. Supple-

mented by relevant research, particularly in preserving

stone and polychrome, an extensive conservation program

can be formulated, paving the way for the temple recon-

struction project.

Fig. 7. Installation of a manhole to the tomb of members of the royal

family from the 23

–25

dynasties (S.7A/82), 2013 (photo by T. Dziedzic)

Il. 7. Montaż włazu do grobu członków rodziny królewskiej

z 23–25 dynastii (S.7A/82), 2013 (fot. T. Dziedzic)

Fig. 8. Hatshepsut Chapel. Conservators Rajmund Gazda, Teresa

Dziedzic and Mieczysław Michiewicz (photo by U. Krośniewska)

Il. 8. Kaplica Hatszepsut. Konserwatorzy Rajmud Gazda, Teresa

Dziedzic i Mieczysław Michiewicz (fot. U. Krośniewska)

Hatshepsut Temple in Deir el-Bahari, Egypt 11

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References

Streszczenie

Kaplica Hatszepsut w Deir el-Bahari w Egipcie – badania i prace konserwatorskie

Kaplica Hatszepsut, największa istniejąca kaplica halowa w architekturze starożytnego Egiptu, jest położona w południowej części Tarasu

Górnego świątyni w Deir el-Bahari. Przez ponad sto lat w świątyni i kaplicy Hatszepsut prowadzone były prace archeologiczne i konserwatorskie.

Wiele z przeprowadzonych badań nie zostało nigdy opublikowanych, inne są wspomniane w corocznych raportach z pracy misji. Prowadzone na

miejscu prace badawcze i konserwatorskie wymagają uszeregowania i podsumowania.

Celem artykułu jest zebranie i uporządkowanie informacji o przeprowadzonych badaniach i ingerencjach konserwatorskich w kaplicy Hatszepsut.

W ostatnich stu latach pracujące w świątyni misje archeologiczne i konserwatorskie dokładały swoją cegiełkę do badań pozwalających lepiej poznać

i zrozumieć dzieje tego obiektu. Wiele przeprowadzonych prac nie zostało opublikowanych i znane są tylko z notatek terenowych lub maszynopisów.

Zaprezentowane wyniki badań pozwalają zauważyć, w jak małym stopniu rozpoznana jest kaplica Hatszepsut, przede wszystkim pod względem

konserwatorskim. Badania egiptologiczne, archeologiczne i architektoniczne prowadzone w ostatnich latach, będące na ukończeniu, pozwolą na

dogłębne poznanie tej największej kaplicy starożytnego Egiptu. Uzupełnione o niezbędne badania, szczególnie z zakresu konserwacji kamienia

i polichromii, umożliwią sporządzenie całościowego programu konserwatorskiego, a w dalszej kolejności – opracowanie projektu rekonstrukcji kaplicy.

Słowa kluczowe: kaplica Hatszepsut, starożytny Egipt, świątynia Hatszepsut, Deir el-Bahari