And a few individuals assumed the role of female pharaohs.

The royal masons had been charged with the task of removing all traces of the female pharaoh.

But whilst Hatshepsut's credentials as the daughter of a king are well attested, the origins of the fourth female pharaoh remain highly controversial.

She based her first published novel, Child of the Morning, on the historical figure of Hatshepsut, Egypt's only female pharaoh.

Hatshepsut is unusual as she was a female pharaoh, a rare occurrence in Egyptian history.

At the entrance to the exhibition, an introduction is inscribed on the wall relating to the contributions that this extraordinary female pharaoh made to Egyptian civilization.

In comparison with other female pharaohs, Hatshepsut's reign was much longer and prosperous.

His identity has often been confused with a female pharaoh who many scholars have identified as Nefertiti using a different name.

The relief sculpture within Hatshepsut's temple recites the tale of the divine birth of a female pharaoh - the first of its kind.

A female pharaoh was unknown in Egypt before Hatshepsut, who began her reign in 1502 B.C.