Hatshepsut's Use of Tuthmosis III in Her Program of Legitimation

Abstract

The reign of Hatshepsut as king with Tuthmosis III has been the inspiration for much scholarly lit erature addressing the nature of the co-regency. The traditional understanding of Hatshepsut couched her as an overly ambitious woman who wrested authority from her stepson, but more recent historical studies make only passing reference to the relationship between the co-regents. These his tories tend to focus on the ways in which Hatshepsut legitimized her rule through ties to her parents, presenting herself as heir to her father the king and divine offspring of her mother.l Her assumption of power and Tuthmosis Ill's later proscription of her receive heated attention, but little notice has been paid to the coregents' treatment of one another during the co-regency. For example, one study notes the apparent bitterness of Tuthmosis III towards Hatshepsut as reflected in the destruction of her name and image, while also granting that Tuthmosis III wielded power during the co-regency and that the co-regency no doubt generated tension, but it appears to have been fundamentally amica ble.2 In this paper, I examine Hatshepsut's depictions of Tuthmosis III to determine how she incor porated him into her artistic program, which will reveal how she intended his role to be perceived. In an effort to understand the artistic trends of this era, some scholars have tracked subtle stylistic changes in the royal statuary, such as the size of the aperture of the eye, the shape of the nose, and the length of the flaps of the nemes headdress as they fall upon the shoulders.3 A chronology of an individual's statuary can then be formulated and current historical knowledge employed to explain the changes in artistic trends. I have done the reverse: rather than look to politics to explain artistic changes, I have examined artistic motifs and conventions in the hopes of elucidating the political sit uation of the day. My investigation and the data presented focus solely on major building projects and some smaller inscriptions dated to the period of time when Hatshepsut and Tuthmosis III ruled together as kings. These sources include the Small Temple of Medinet Habu,4 the Chapelle Rouge at