What influenced Hatshepsut

Senenmut was, without doubt, the most important man in Hatshepsut’slife. Twenty-five statues of Senenmut have so far been discovered,more than almost any other non-royal individual in the history ofancient Egypt. When Neferure was still a child, Hatshepsut’sarchitect Senmut was her tutor. The actual nature of hisrelationship with Hatshepsut is unknown, but he was one of herstrongest supporters, probably even one of her top advisers. Duringhis career, he gained over 40 titles, including “chief architect.”He disappeared some time before the end of Hatshepsut’s reign, andit is unknown what actually happened to him. The architect Senmutdesigned the temple with rows of colonnades that reflect verticalpatterns displayed by the cliff backdrop. In this way the temple isa successful example of architectural harmony between man andnature. A ramp connects the three levels of the temple, and oneither side of the lower end of the incline were T-shaped papyruspools. On the ground level the ramp was in antiquity lined with 200sandstone statues of sphinxes with Hatshepsut’s head. The thirdlevel is decorated with 22 life size statues featuring Hatshepsutin the Osirde shape. It was a matter of fashion.