Summary
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Egyptian pharaoh Hatshepsut, whose name means 'foremost of noble ladies'. She ruled Egypt from about 1479 - 1458 BC and some scholars argue that she was one of the most successful and influential pharaohs. When she came to the throne, Egypt was still recovering from a period of turbulence known as the Second Intermediate Period a few generations earlier. Hatshepsut reasserted Egyptian power by building up international trade and commissioned buildings considered masterpieces of Egyptian architecture. She also made significant changes to the ideology surrounding the pharaoh and the gods. However, following her death, her name was erased from the records and left out of ancient lists of Egyptian kings.
With:
Elizabeth Frood Associate Professor of Egyptology at the University of Oxford
Kate Spence Lecturer in Egyptian Archaeology at the University of Cambridge
Campbell Price Curator of Egypt and Sudan at The Manchester Museum
Producer: Victoria Brignell.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Just before this BBC podcast gets underway, here's something you may not know. |
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| 0:45.9 | the program. Hello in the early 15th century BC a woman came to power in ancient Egypt. Her name was Hatchepsut and she remained the longest-reining female |
| 0:56.6 | pharaoh until Cleopatra 1400 years later. She was remarkable for ruling in a society normally controlled by men she ruled for about |
| 1:04.2 | 15 years. But that's far from the most remarkable thing about her. Many scholars |
| 1:08.4 | regard her as one of the most influential pharaohs of the New Kingdom period |
| 1:12.2 | of Egyptian history. |
| 1:13.2 | Among her achievements, she forever changed the public image of the pharaoh, |
| 1:16.5 | embarked on a far-reaching building program and increased Egypt's prosperity |
| 1:20.6 | by expanding its trade network. |
| 1:22.6 | Yet at some point after her death it seems that a systematic attempt was made to erase her memory from the records and her image was removed from many of her monuments. |
| 1:30.6 | With me to discuss her Shepwood's life and legacy are Elizabeth |
| 1:34.5 | Frood, Associate Professor of Egyptology at the University of Oxford, Kate Spence, |
| 1:39.6 | lecturer in Egyptian archaeology at the University of Cambridge and Campbell |
| 1:44.0 | Prize, curator of Egypt and Sudan at the Manchester Museum. Elizabeth |
| 1:49.2 | Fruid, had chup but was born around 1500 BC not long after a period of turmoil, turmoil even in |
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