Hatshepsut: Leader of the First Plant Hunting Expedition

Born around 1507 BCE, Hatshepsut served as the fifth pharaoh of the 18th dynasty of Egypt. After the 12th dynasty’s Pharaoh Sobekneferu, Hatshepsut is the only other confirmed female pharaoh. She is generally regarded by Egyptologists as one of the most successful pharaohs in history, reigning longer than any other woman of an Egyptian dynasty. Hatshepsut took to the throne in 1479 BCE (having served as a co-regent from about 1479 to 1458 BCE) quickly re-establishing the trade networks that had been disrupted during the previous Hyksos occupation of Egypt.

Though remembered for establishing trade networks and introducing a relatively peaceful era in Egypt, Hatshepsut was also the brains behind the world’s first recorded plant hunting expedition. Whereas pharaohs of the past had sought to obtain the biblical resins frankincense (Boswellia) and myrrh (Commiphora) from the Land of Punt (thought to be Somalia today), for incense and embalming purposes, Hatshepsut was the first to seek out the trees from which these resins were taken for them to be planted in Egypt in order that they could produce their own supplies. Beyond the southernmost point of the Red Sea, gold, ebony, animal skins, baboons, processed myrrh, and living myrrh trees were brought back to Egypt. The trees were planted in the gardens of Dayr al-Baḥrī, where Hatshepsut built her own temple funerary complex, cut into the cliffs. Indeed, at the time there was a tradition of building gardens in the compounds of mortuary temples.

The expedition's story can be seen on the walls of Hatshepsut’s temple, in a series of paintings and reliefs. Although we cannot rely upon the murals to provide an exact, accurate recount of what transpired, the narrative does give us an idea of what occurred: the walls record five ships, each appearing to be over 20 metres long and bearing several sails; each of the ships carried over 200 people and sailors, and about 30 rowers; the boats would carry approximately 30 live trees, each with their sizable roots wrapped carefully for the journey, and these would be transported in this way for the return to Egypt, together with a selection of other plants.

To corroborate, archaeologists have uncovered, in front of Mentuhotep’s temple in the Dayr al-Baḥrī area, regular rows of 10 metre deep tree pits, which contained at least 55 Tamarix aphylla and two rows of a fig, Ficus sycamorus, forming a sacred grove. There were also two large flower beds, animals, and goods. Hatshepsut was an innovative, resourceful, and powerful woman who embarked on perhaps the first-ever recorded expedition to uproot, relocate, and domesticate plants.