The Land of Punt | Queen Hatshepsut’s Mysterious Expedition

Recent archaeological developments have made it possible for modern academics to decipher the ancient inscriptions left behind by the Egyptians, giving us a much clearer perspective into their lives, beliefs and societies. Yet despite the profound mystical appeal and the undeniable influence of ancient Egyptian civilization, the Egyptians themselves were equally intrigued and fascinated by the allure of the unknown, unexplored and unexplainable. When Egyptian inscriptions became more accessible to Egyptologists following the discovery and decoding of the Rosetta Stone, researchers began to take note of the fact that the ancient Egyptians seemed to have been captivated by a sacred land, one to which they had made many references to in their native language as Tenejder, or the land of the gods. Many ancient descriptions of this magnificent land paint a picture of a luxurious realm, rich in natural resources, from which all good things came into Egypt. To the ancient Egyptians, Tenejder was a haven, an emporium of heavenly produce and exquisite commodities, which lends its name to fantastic tales and stories comparable to El Dorado or Atlantis. The Egyptians paid so much respect and reverence to this land that they gave it many names, one of which was Puenet, or Puene, which the ancient Greeks translated as Opone. Later on, the Romans called it Cape Aromatica and Regio Cinemafore, the land of cinnamon. However, the ancient Romans had mistakenly attributed the region with the cultivation and production of cinnamon, whereas it served only as a commercial hub and conduit for the trade and distribution of spices that were imported from the Indian subcontinents and transported elsewhere. In modern terms, the land of Puenet is most commonly identified as the land of Punt, and many studies have been conducted to identify which modern region is the direct descendant of that ancient and magnificent land from which the ancient Egyptians drew so much of their inspiration and resources. However, the interest was certainly not one-sided. In fact, historical accounts detail evidence of more than one occasion in which an Egyptian pharaoh had hosted royal members and delegates from the land of Punt. There are also historical accounts of chiefs sending their children from Punt towards Egypt in order to attain an education in the Egyptian courts, alongside other prominent citizens coming from nearby kingdoms and regions such as Kush and Iran. So what exactly did the ancient Egyptians find so captivating and interesting in Punt? According to their own accounts, we have some distinctive characteristics of the people and the land of Punt. For example, the villages of Punt have been described as containing honeycombed-shaped houses that are held above the water by stilts, and the land was said to have been governed by kings who acted upon the wise counsel and support of segesius elders. Parahu, the only king of Punt to have been named and identified by the Egyptians, was described as having a long pointed beard which grew only on his chin. His attire consisted of a loincloth that was held together by a belt in which a dagger was firmly fixed. As for the inhabitants of Punt, they were characterized as having good qualities and attributes, with particular mention of their generosity, which was only matched by their courage and valour on the battlefield. This description corroborates what the ancient Egyptian scribes depicted in their records as they characterized the people of Punt as a tall people with a dark reddish complexion complemented by thin facial features and lank curly hair. However, by the 18th Egyptian dynasty, the natives of Punt were commonly depicted as having tightly cropped hair. In the 5th century BC, Greek historian Herodotus, known as the father of history in the western tradition, refers to a race of people called the Microbians, who dwelt in a region south of Egypt. These people reportedly had an average lifespan of 120 years, which was attributed to their diets, mainly comprised of milk and meat. Some historians have concluded that Herodotus' description of the Microbians was in fact a direct reference to the people of Punt, whom he had characterized as having been some of the tallest and most handsome of people. Seated strategically between two magnificent continents, in close proximity to powerful civilizations, there is sufficient historical evidence to suggest that Punt was a commercial center for several goods that were traded across various parts of the world, including mainland Africa and throughout the Asian continent. The luxurious items that were reportedly transported in and out of Punt included gold, ebony, elephant tusks, wild animals, exotic animal skins, spices, cosmetics, plants, and incense, including the biblically celebrated gifts of frankincense and myrrh. Trade between Egypt and Punt was mutually beneficial, as inscriptions make it clear that a fair and equitable exchange was transacted on either side. The Egyptians were able to extract resources from Punt in exchange for jewelry, tools, and weapons from Egypt. Punt had a special relationship with ancient Egypt, as the latter had sent various expeditions towards Punt in as early as 2480 BC, with much earlier historic records evidencing the fact that the ancient Egyptians had been trading with the people of Punt during the reign of King Khunum Khufu, who reigned during the 4th Egyptian dynasty between 2613 and 2498 BCE. He is historically credited with having commissioned the construction of the Great Pyramid of Giza, a landmark that is now counted amongst the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. However, the oldest surviving record of a journey to Punt comes to us from the Parlemmo Stone, which dates back to the Old Kingdom during the 5th dynasty, when Egypt was ruled by King Sahuray in around 2500 BC. The exact period in which this mutual exchange between Punt and Egypt truly began cannot be qualified conclusively. However, it is most prudent to say that the earliest known trade missions between Egypt and Punt can be dated somewhere between the 4th and the 5th dynastic rule. Later, during the 11th dynastic rule, accounts of another fabulous Egyptian expedition to Punt were documented in two inscriptions found in Wadi Hammamat and subsequently attributed to the Egyptian noble Hanenu, also known as Hannu. His writings inform us of the mission undertaken during the reign of Mentuhotep III, who ruled Egypt approximately 2000 years before the advent of Christ. The accounts reveal many details of the voyage, including the number of men, estimated to have been 3,000 in total. Mentuhotep III became the first Middle Kingdom ruler known to have sent an expedition to Punt, though such expeditions became more frequent during the 12th Egyptian dynasty. However, later historic records indicate that trade relations between Egypt and Punt were temporarily suspended during the Second Intermediate Period. Although the pattern would continue from 1478 BC under the reign of the legendary and much-celebrated Queen Hatshepsut who reigned over Egypt during its 18th dynastic rule. According to legendary accounts, the Queen was inspired to undertake this fabulous expedition by an oracle of the ancient Egyptian god Amun-Ra during the ninth year of her rule. She mobilized what was arguably the first large-scale expedition to Punt during the reign of the Puntite king Parahu and his wife Queen Ati. Queen Hatshepsut's expeditionary force was comprised of five ships and the voyage to Punt lasted between 20 to 25 days. Details of this epic journey to Punt remain carved into the walls and artefacts found in the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, which is situated in Deir al-Bahri near Luxor in Egypt's famous Valley of the Kings. The writings and descriptions visible on the wall reveal clear illustrations of Punt's beautiful scenery and beehive-shaped houses which were raised above the water by wooden stilts. There are also visible references to his palm trees and natural surroundings. In the surviving hieroglyphic engravings, we also read the following message. Sailing on the sea and making a good start for God's land. Making landfall safely at the terrain of Punt. The Egyptian expeditionary forces returned home with some of the most exotic imports including trees, in particular 31 incense trees, Boswellia, from the land of Punt. This importation of foreign fauna, which included plants and trees, was reportedly the very first time in recorded history wherein crops were successfully transported from one geographic region and cultivated in another. In fact, these plants survived in Egypt and flourished for many millennia. This is evidenced by the fact that the same type of trees can still be seen and found outside Queen Hatshepsut's complex in Deir al-Bahri. Queen Hatshepsut's expedition to Punt was arguably one of the greatest and most documented journeys to Punt. The Egyptian trade relations with the people of Punt was an ancient and tremendously powerful one, dating back to as early as the 4th or 5th dynasty. The commercial, cultural and spiritual exchange continued through to the end of the 19th Egyptian dynasty during the reign of Ramesses the Great, who ruled Egypt between 1279 to 1213 BCE and continued through to the earlier part of the 20th Egyptian dynasty, resulting in the loss of these expeditions known to historians, which was reportedly during the reign and rule of Ramesses III, who resided over Egypt in the 12th century BCE. In an ancient papyrus record, Egyptian scribes describe how Ramesses III constructed great transport vessels, loaded with limitless goods from Egypt. They reached the land of Punt unaffected by misfortune, safe and respected. Punt was a land of luxury, offering ivory, ebony and gun. The Egyptians were also very fond of animal skins and leather, which Punt exported in large varieties and in abundance, ranging from giraffe skin to the more exotic varieties including panther and cheetah skins. Leather was highly prized and very fashionable amongst Egyptian priests who also imported live animals for the purpose of entertainment and religious ceremonies. Specimens included Cenosophilus baboons, which were considered sacred in Egypt. Punt's steady supply of luxury produce into Egypt's ancient temples had earned it a sanctified status with the priestly class, who referred to the region as the personal garden of their god Amun-Ra. The land of Punt was long associated with Egyptian deities due to the fact that many of the items used for their offerings and venerations originated from Punt. However, the two civilizations may have shared a more profound religious and spiritual connection based upon the belief that the gods of Egypt had an affinity and appreciation for the land of Punt. There is evidence that one of the most popular Egyptian deities, Bez, also known as the Dwarf God, originated from Punt. Although ancient Egyptian archives are replete with glorious tales making explicit references to the land of Punt, archaeologists and Egyptologists are yet to find a single proof that they can all agree upon as the definite and irrefutable proof of where Punt currently lies. The ancient Egyptians told us almost everything we need to know except the most important detail, the location of Punt. It would seem as if the ancient Egyptians had a cruel sense of humour or perhaps they had conspired to keep this consecrated land sanctified and enshrouded by a perennial mystery. As a matter of fact, not even the glorious Queen Hatshepsut reveals anything about the location of Punt despite the very detailed and elaborate accounts of the magnificent trade envoys she had sent there. The inscriptions on the wall of her tomb tell us about the number of days, the number of vessels, labourers, distances travelled, types of plants, quality of produce and many other intricate minutiae but fails to make any mention about the geographic location of their magnificent destination. To this very day, modern scholars and researchers are filtering through thousands of years worth of Egyptian artefacts and inscriptions in search of a clear indication for the location of Punt. Yet since the mid-19th century, not one of these scholarly endeavours has resulted in a conclusive answer to this ancient riddle. For over 150 years, the higher ranks of academia have scoured through maps scribbling and circling over many modern nations that may potentially be the true location of ancient Punt. A multitude of elaborate theories have since been advanced favouring a colourful collection of potential locations ranging from places such as Syria, Sinai, Yemen, Eastern Sudan, Northern Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya and even Sri Lanka. Though the land of Punt has now become a semi-mythical place, somewhat comparable to Atlantis in European terms, to the ancient Egyptians it was indeed a very real place from the earliest dynasties through to the New Kingdom. Interestingly, the exact reasons as to why the legacy of Punt gradually faded out of reality and was subsequently reintroduced to the realms and confines of legend and mythology is not known to us. However, following the reign of Ramesses III, Punt gradually became more and more obscure in the texts and records of Egyptian chroniclers until it was eventually resigned to legendary tales of mythological status.