Hatshepsut was one of very few females who ruled in ancient Egypt. The other women ruled because they had not choice’ there were no men to do the job. In the 3000 years of ancient Egyptian history, Hatshepsut was the only woman who made the decision to be Pharaoh.
History is like a puzzle. The whole story of a historical event or a famous person’s life hasn’t always survived. Even when it has, we sometimes have only one person’s version of what happened.
Hatshepsut was an Egyptian Pharaoh who ruled in Ancient Egypt for many years. Unlike many other women who acted as ruler until their son was old enough to rule alone, Hatshepsut appears to have embraced her role. Egyptian women, even daughters of pharaohs were seldom involved in governing the country. Most lived in separate palaces with limited knowledge of, or involvement in, affairs of state. Hatshepsut was the eldest daughter of Tuthmosis 1, who ruled Egypt over 3500 years ago. Her story is pieced together from tomb inscriptions, statues, and various historical sources. Historians do not always agree on what actually happened, particularly in the case of Hatshepsut, where there seems to have been some rewriting of her story after her death. One thing that seems to be agreed, is that Hatshepsut was a remarkable woman.
It is a difficult thing to tease out the truth from vastly different versions of the same events/times in history. Carole Wilkinson is very clear from the outset that history is coloured by those who record it. As she states, there are often gaps. In Hatshepsut – The Lost Pharaoh of Egypt she builds a picture of a strong woman from clues left behind. Hatshepsut gives a comprehensive and entertaining picture of the culture and politics of Ancient Egypt and then looks closely at the role Hatshepsut played. Information is interspersed with inscriptions from various tombs and statues and with fictional excerpts from Hatshepsut’s life. Contents page, index, bibliography and background information provide the reader with access to a fascinating period in history. Photos, illustrations, timelines and family trees help to bring history to colourful life. Hatshepsut is part of a new non-fiction series, ‘The Beat’ from Black Dog Books. Recommended for middle primary readers.
Hatshepsut – The Lost Pharaoh of Egypt, Carole Wilkinson
black dog books 2008
ISBN: 9781742030135
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