The Main Sanctuary of Amun-Ra in the Hatshepsut Temple at Deir el-Bahari. An introduction to architectural studies

Abstract

The Main Sanctuary of Amun-Ra in the Temple of Hatshepsut in Deir el-Bahari has been studied repeatedly, but never comprehensively (Naville 1906; Winlock 1932; Wysocki 1985). In preparation for a full architectural study of this complex, which is one of the oldest parts of the Eighteenth Dynasty mortuary temple, the paper presents a general specification of the preserved architecture, contextualized in a brief account of the discovery of the sanctuary and the history of its restoration and conservation, tied by necessity with the bigger works conducted by Polish specialists in the temple itself. The sanctuary in its present state is the combined effect of a number of phases of development, the most recent being a rebuilding in the Ptolemaic period. The inventory drawings of the current state of the complex, made by the author, an architect, leave the reader with a good idea of the form of the sanctuary, opening the way to a comprehensive architectural study, which will trace the original plan through all the subsequent phases of development and modern conservation and restoration work.