Head of Queen of Hatshepsut

Queen Hatshepsut is the most famous female ruler of ancient Egypt. This head, which is one of the masterpieces of 18th Dynasty sculpture, was part of a statue that once represented the queen in the shape of the god Osiris.

Queen Hatshepsut, who reigned during the 18th Dynasty (around 1479–1458 BC), is often depicted in art as a male king, which was a common practice to assert her authority in a male-dominated society.

The head of queen Hatshepsut is made out of painted limestone, bears all her distinctive feminine features: the gently curved eyebrows, the wide eyes extended by cosmetic lines, the delicate aquiline nose, the full cheeks, and the gracious mouth.

This specific head is part of a larger statue that is often associated with her monumental temple at Deir el-Bahari. The statue and head are significant because they are clear examples of her representation in the official royal iconography, which combined both feminine and masculine elements. The head itself is a rare and important artifact, illustrating her distinctive style and the unique nature of her reign.

New Kingdom, mid-18th Dynasty, reign of Hatshepsut, ca. 1479-1458 BC. From Deir el-Bahari, Thebes. Now in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo. JE 56259 A – 56262