Punt

Called also *Ta-neter*, the "land of God." This region is identified by Maspero, Mariette, and Brugsch, as that part of the African coast which extends from the Straits of Bab-el-Mandeb to Cape Gardafui. It was a country rich in balsam and incense-bearing trees, in precious woods, lapis lazuli, ivory and amber. To this "ble ed land" Queen Hatshepsut sent an expedition, building and equipping a fleet of five large ve els for the purpose. On their arrival they were received in the most friendly way by Parihu, Prince of Punt, his wife Ati, and their daughter and two sons. After an interchange of gifts, the fleet returned to Egypt, laden with odoriferous sycomore trees—identified by Mariette with the "myrrh tree" of Pliny— ivory, skins, logs of ebony, apes, gold dust, gold and metal rings, and heaps of the precious gum. The whole story of this expedition is vividly depicted upon the walls of the great temple of Der el Bahri.