Deir el-Bahri - Temple of Hathor- Upper Court
From the Tomb of Queen of Neferu a granite doorway opens into the Upper Court. In the middle of this there originally stood a large hypostyle hall, now totally ruined, on the walls of which were reliefs of a solemn procession (largely destroyed by Coptic monks). A doorway at the northeast corner of the court leads into a vestibule which has three 16 sided columns supporting the roof.
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Opposite the entrance is a niche with well preserved figures of the Queen. On the rear wall Hatshepsut (obliterated) is depicted in the presence of Amun; on the side walls the Queen (here left undamaged) is seated at table, with a priest (defaced by Amenophis IV) in front of her.
Related Attractions
Temple of Hathor Altar
Beyond the vestibule is an open court, in the center of which, approached by ten steps, is an altar dedicated to the sun god Re-Harakhty, one of the few altars found on their original sites. In the west wall of the court is a niche in which the Queen (obliterated) is depicted making offerings.
Temple of Hathor - Chapel
In the north wall of the Upper Court is a doorway into a chapel consisting of two chambers. With only a few exceptions the reliefs on the walls have been chiseled away either by Tuthmosis III or by Amenophis IV. First chamber, side walls: the queen making offerings to various deities, in particular the gods of the dead (Anubis, Sokar, Osiris, Emewet) but also Amun. Rear wall, above the bench: Hatshepsut and Tuthmosis I in front of the symbol of Emewet. Second chamber, right-hand wall: Tuthmosis I (originally Hatshepsut) and his mother Seniseneb making offerings to Anubis. Left hand wall: the Queen and her mother Ahmes making offerings to Amun. Rear wall: Hatshepsut and Anubis. On the ceilings are representations of stars in the night sky.
