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the Thoth festival, and inaugurating the Valley Festival, which strengthened the relationship between a mortal pharaoh and the divine. Ultimately, Hatshepsut initiated significant metamorphoses to Egyptian religion, which not only affected the religious practices of her subjects but also determined the religious policies of her successors.

Hatshepsut's legacy is also extant in the enduring architectural innovations she incorporated into her building program. The design of Djeser-Djeseru is a prime example, for as Redford stated, although there exist a few doubtful precursors of the terraced templethe originality of the design cannot be gainsaid.' The thematic structure of the three terraces, from her role as pharaoh, to legitimisation of her rule and achievements, to the worship of the deities is indisputably her own invention, as were the ramps linking them, imitating the glory of a sun's ray. Thutmose III modeled his mortuary temple on Hatshepsut's whilst Akhenaten incorporated the design of the ramps into his own buildings. Similarly, the design of Hatshepsut's tomb, with the three successive passageways leading to the burial chamber, her royal sarcophagus, her resting stations for Amun's barque were likewise replicated by her successors. Therefore, Hatshepsut's reign was characterised by a myriad of architectural innovations that became her legacy, to be admiringly integrated into the buildings of the future generations of pharaohs.

Perhaps Hatshepsut's legacy is best addressed by her own words, inscribed on her obelisk Now my heart turns to and fro, in thinking what will the people say, those who shall see my monuments in after years, and shall speak of what I have done.' Indeed, it is indisputable that Hatshepsut's innovations provided the foundations for her successors' own implementations and her contribution to Egypt's political, economical, cultural and even architectural spheres was truly phenomenal.

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