Until the Old Kingdom, Egyptian carpenters relied on native woods, such as the Nile acacia (šndt), sycomore fig (nh), and tamarisk (ἰsr). Although much of that wood was of poor quality, it was still being used in New Kingdom times. Since indigenous timber was scarce, the need for conservation created associations with a number of deities. The goddess Hathor was connected with the “Lady of the Sycomore,” as were the goddesses Isis and Nut. With the importation of timber, which is recorded as early as the fourth dynasty in the Palermo Stone, a notable change occurred in the size and quality of the furniture manufactured. The Palermo Stone also records that during the reign of Sneferu, shipping routes had been opened to the Syrian coast, where coniferous trees such as cedar (rʿš) were felled and brought back to Egypt. Hardwoods were imported from the regions south of Egypt. During the New Kingdom reign of Hatshepsut, scenes were painted in her mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahri that show Egyptians venturing into the southern land of Punt, where they and Puntites are seen felling small African ebony (hbny) trees, which were then shipped to Egypt.