Khafre (Chephren)

Circa 2555-2532 b.c.e.

King, dynasty 4

Sources

Pyramid Builder . The image that first comes to mind when most people think of ancient Egypt is the giant pyramids at Giza. The largest of these structures, the Great Pyramid, was built by Khufu; but his son, Khafre, contributed a matching pyramid that rivals his father’s tomb. Khafre also built the Great Sphinx to guard his complex, which was built by a combination of professional artisans and drafted common laborers. Inside his temple were twenty-three statues of the pharaoh, among which is “one of the greatest works of Egyptian art” in the opinion of Richard H. Wilkinson. On Khafre’s shoulders stands the falcon-god Horus, his wings spread downward as if to protect the neck of the pharaoh. Some estimates claim that there may have been nearly sixty statues of Khafre in the whole complex. The inside of his temple was lined with red granite and calcite; ceremonies and rituals in honor of the pharaoh cult were performed here.

Great Sphinx . At the northern entrance to his temple, alongside the causeway and in a former quarry, a two-hundred-feet-long, human-headed sandstone lion was placed, which became known as the Great Sphinx. The monument was carved from an existing outcrop of stone, as opposed to being put together as had the pyramids. Another temple was built to the front of the lion’s body, and a chapel and an obelisk were later placed between his paws. Portions of the face and beard were later chiseled off. The giant sculpture suffered severely from the elements and is crumbling in modern times despite extensive restoration efforts.

Sources

Zahi Hawass, The Plateau, Internet website, http://guardians.net/hawass/sphinx-pyramid-main.htm.

Jaromir Malek, “The Old Kingdom (c. 2686–2125),” in The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt, edited by Ian Shaw (Oxford & New York: Oxford University Press, 2000), pp. 89–117.

Richard H. Wilkinson, The Complete Temples of Ancient Egypt (New York: Thames & Hudson, 2000), pp. 116–118.