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Primary sourceSculptureReign of Hatshepsut, c. 1479-1458 BCE

Statue of Queen Hatshepsut (Maatkare)

Reign of Hatshepsut, c. 1479-1458 BCE

A granite statue of Hatshepsut under her throne name Maatkare, wearing the royal nemes headdress, held in the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden, Leiden.

This statue identifies Hatshepsut by her throne name Maatkare, wearing the royal headdress of a pharaoh.

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Close-up photograph of a pink and black speckled granite statue of a seated figure wearing a striped nemes headcloth with a pleated lappet over the shoulder. The face is carved in profile looking to the right against a dark grey background.
Statue of Queen Hatshepsut (Maatkare). Rijksmuseum van Oudheden, Leiden.

About this source

What it is

This photograph shows an ancient statue of Hatshepsut, identified by her throne name Maatkare. It is carved from pink and black speckled granite and shows her wearing a striped nemes headcloth with a pleated lappet over the shoulder. The statue is held in the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden (National Museum of Antiquities) in Leiden, the Netherlands.

Why it matters

Statues like this were part of how Hatshepsut presented herself as a legitimate pharaoh, using the royal headdress and formal pose common to kings. Her throne name, Maatkare, appears alongside such images, linking her personal identity to her official royal role.

Look closer

  • Why might a ruler use a throne name in addition to their birth name?
  • What does the nemes headdress tell us about how Hatshepsut wanted to be seen?
  • How does seeing this statue in a European museum today change how we think about where ancient objects end up?

This sculpture is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Hatshepsut on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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View of the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari, a tiered stone building with long colonnades and ramps set against towering tan limestone cliffs under a clear blue sky. Small figures and a low shelter are visible in the foreground.Artifact

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Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut

Senenmut and/or Hapuseneb (attributed) · c. 1479–1458 BCE

Photograph of a carved sandstone relief panel at Karnak. Columns of hieroglyphs divide the panel. On the left, a figure in a tall crown strides with one arm raised. On the right, a standing figure in a kilt faces left. Blue sky and a palm tree appear at the edge.Photograph

Secondary source

Hatshepsut Dancing Before Min, Karnak Relief

Carole Reeves · 1989

Painted relief on a temple wall showing men carrying a tree in a basket with a pole, between stylized incense trees and a palm, in orange, red and cream colors, with hieroglyphs above and a wave-pattern band below.Sculpture

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Punt Expedition Reliefs

Royal workshops of Hatshepsut · c. 1470 BCE

Photograph of a dark grey stone sculpture of a head, mounted on a red rectangular pedestal against a white background. The head has a tall, smooth-topped headdress, carved eyes, nose and mouth, and a worn surface. Catalogue label MM 11423 appears at lower right.Sculpture

Primary source

Sculpture Head Probably of Hatshepsut

Photograph of a seated limestone statue of a figure wearing a royal headcloth with a pleated nemes and a false beard-less face, hands resting on the lap, seated on a block with hieroglyphic inscriptions on its side.Sculpture

Primary source

Seated Statue of Hatshepsut

c. 1466 BCE

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