ssan, Hatshepsut endowed two rock temples dedicated to the deity Pakhet, (she who scratches), a fierce lion-headed goddess of the desert worshipped locally. It was built sometime between her 10th and 17th regal years. The larger temple was cut into a small, steep valley and is widely known as Speos Artemidos, or "grotto of Artemis", While the neighbouring temple is known as the Speos Batn elbakarah. The Artemidos survived both reigns of Thutmosis III and Akhenaten but was supposedly 'restored' by Seti I who added his own texts to the previously unadorned sanctuary. However the smaller temple would suffer a different fate being badly defaced during the reign of Thutmosis III.
             The Speos Artemidos consisted of two chambers: a hall which leads through a short passage to a sanctuary cut into the rock. A hole in the wall intended to house the cult statue of Pakhet, formed the religious focus of the shrine. The interior walls bore few decorations, although many texts and scenes carved on the walls in the hall, were intended to re-emphasise Hatshepsut's bond with Amun, the God who had (supposedly) chosen her as her as the ruler of Egypt.
             "utterance by Amun-Ra, Lord of the thrones of the two lands...,' O my beloved daughter Maat-ka-ra, I am thy beloved father. I establish for thee thy rank in the Two Lands. I have fixed thy titulary."
             The temple also contains scenes where Hatshepsut is placating the got Pakhet by the offering of incense. However the underlying importance/purpose of this temple was to establish the fact that Hatshepsut's reign was destined to happen in order for her to restore the Egyptian temples to their former glories.
             "... I have made strong what has decayed. I have risen up what was dismembered, even from the first time when the Hyksos were in Avaris of the North land, with roving hordes in the midst of them overthrowing what had been made; they ruled without Ra....