Just Because...: Hatshepsut, Is It Really Her?

Monday, July 16, 2007

Hatshepsut, Is It Really Her?

So, last night I was trying to watch some reality show with Scott Baio. I couldn't sleep - it's 1:00 - c'mon. I figured Chachi/Charles' dating quandaries would be enough to send me to snoozeville. Then, during a commercial I hit the guide button and *boom* on the Discovery Channel was one of those Egyptian discovery shows. You know the ones with the guy with the funky accent as he climbs through pyramids and gets all happy over finding a piece of clay?

Let me preface this with a little known fact. I LOVE anything that has to do with Egypt. It's been one of my lifelong dreams since I was little to go see the land of the Pharaohs. Even in 2nd/3rd grade I would read anything I could find in the library about the Egyptian queens, Nefertiti, Cleopatra and, of course, my absolute favorite - Hatshepsut. See, everyone always like Nefertiti because she's pretty, Cleopatra because well, really, c'mon - how can you not forget a gal who presents herself to Cesar rolled up in a rug and drives a country to war. However, I liked Hatshepsut for what she stood for. This woman ruled Egypt for YEARS and had the gall to call herself king and didn't take any crap from anyone. She was an independent soul. I can identify - even in 3rd grade (hell - I'd rather be on the playground reading than dealing with anything Karen Frangine/Frankinwhateverhername had to say). Then you got some guy who ruled after her who basically tried to write her out of history after 20 years of ruling. GRRR. That's a man that needed a smack upside his head or had a massive insecurity complex (or both).

My parents took me to the Met in NYC to see the Egypt exhibit - I wouldn't understand til I was older that it was HER exhibit that I was looking at. In Vegas, I stayed at the Luxor and wandered aimlessly through the Tut replicas. In W. Mass they had a bunch of mummies and I drove my parents nuts to have them take me there to see it. Yup - I'm gonna say it - I'm a history buff; ancient history buff that is. (But one with a heck of a lot of fashion sense).

So, last night as I'm watching this Hawass guy, he's looking at a mummy and I hear the announcer commenting "Is this mummy Hatshepsut?" I about bounced around in my room going "NOOO!", jaw dropping and thinking "I'm watching history - this woman has been lost for decades". Can I tell you how excited I was. (Shut up - I know.. I'm a geek).

At 1:30 a.m., watching intently.
At 2:00 a.m., still watching. Have to be at work for 9:00 and up at 6:00. Whatever - I'll go to bed early.
At 2:20 a.m., still watching. Still fighting the urge to crash.
At 3:00 a.m. - dunno - I, like a dumb *** fell asleep.

(And yes, according to Discovery - it's Hatshepsut with the bad gum disease and all. And I Tivo'd it and it's repeating tonight so I'm gonna go home, be a geek and watch!).

**Picture courtesy of the MetExhibit...

Labels: Random Mess

Posted by Lys :: 7:10 PM :: 2 comments

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Just Because...

Monday, July 16, 2007