Step back in time to explore the extraordinary reign of King Khafre, the ancient Egyptian pharaoh behind the iconic Great Sphinx and the second-largest pyramid of Giza. Journey with us as we delve into the mysteries and majesty of this remarkable ruler.

Who was King Khafre?

King Khafre is the fourth King of the 4th Dynasty. Possibly, he is a younger son of King Khufu from his wife Henutsen. He ascended the throne after his elder brother, King Djedefre. His birth name, Khafre (kha. f-Ra), could mean ” He shines as Re “. He constructed his pyramid at Giza like his father, Khufu. To him is attributed the Great Sphinx. 

King Khafre, Eternal Elegance

King Khafre’s Family Life

It is definitely clear that Khafre was a son of Pharaoh Khufu, but his mother’s name could not be ascertained due to the lack of any solid evidence. Many scholars think he was the son of Queen Henutsen. Khafre had many wives, although their names were just recently known. The inscriptions only revealed the names of 4 of them: Queen Khamerernebty I, Queen Meresankh III, Hekenuhedjet, and Present. Khafra had been known to father at least 12 sons and 3 daughters. As per various inscriptions, Queen Khamerernebty I was the chief queen of Khafre and the mother of the next Pharaoh, Menkaure. 

King Khufu the father of King Khafre

Reign of King Khafre

In ancient Egypt, King Khafre was the fourth king of the fourth dynasty. From 2558 until 2532 BCE, he succeeded his father, Khufu, as ruler and reigned for 26 years. The second largest pyramid at Giza, which carries Khafre’s name and serves as the major attraction, is the structure that is most known for documenting his history in Egypt. Egypt saw enormous wealth and success during Khafre’s rule.

The Egyptian economy prospered, and commerce increased significantly during Khafre’s leadership. Moreover, Khafre was a major supporter of the arts, commissioning pieces that would be revered. Great advancements in art, architecture, and trade occurred under Khafre’s reign, which is considered the Golden Period of Ancient Egypt. Due to his foresight and leadership, Egypt rose to prominence in the ancient world, leaving a legacy that continues today.

The Reign of King Khafre – A Timeless Era

Pyramid of King khafre 

Unlike his brother Djedefra, who built his pyramid at the site of Abu Roash, Khafra returned to Giza to build his own tomb – close to that of his father, Khufu. Although a little smaller than his father’s, Khafre pyramid was built on slightly higher ground to lessen the difference in height. Its ancient name, Khafra is Great, reflects the status of its omnipotent owner.

Khafra’s pyramid complex is also the most complete example of such a complex to have survived. From the King’s huge funerary temple at the base of his pyramid, a long causeway runs down to his valley temple, where mummification of his body would most likely have taken place.

The granite-lined temple, with its floor of white alabaster, was once adorned with 23 superb statues of the King and Horus, the falcon god, made of diorite obtained from Nubian quarries almost 155 miles (250km) to the south.

The Pyramid’s Grandeur

The Diorite Statue of King Khafre

This statue represents King Khafre, the builder of the Second Pyramid at Giza. It is made out of diorite. Therefore, this statue is considered a masterpiece because it is made out of hard material like diorite, but the artist was very skillful in making the statue with all its details delicately and perfectly. The statue was discovered by August Mariette while being thrown inside a pit in the Valley Temple of the King at Giza.

The Diorite Statue of King Khafre

Description of the Statue of King Khafre

The statue is almost life-size, and it represents King Khafre while sitting on a high-back throne. The King is shown with signs of royalty represented in royal names (nms), headdress, and royal false beard, and he is wearing the royal kilt called Shendyt (Sndyt).

On the forehead of the NMS headdress, there was a uraeus, a symbol of protection, but it was demolished. The ears are left completely free from the NMS headdress to listen to the prayers that the priests recited to the King. 

Looking at the facial features, the artist succeeded in showing the King with all signs of youth and dignity represented in the full round face, wide eyes, delicate nose, high cheekbones and fine smiley mouth.

The eyes of the King are looking upwards. There is a hypothetical opinion that mentions that the King is looking to his ascension to the sky.

The lower half of the false beard on the statue of King Khafre is partially damaged. It likely represented a divine, curved beard, as the King is depicted in a death-like state. This statue was discovered in the Valley Temple, a significant component of his mortuary complex.

Also, the body is highly polished, and the artist was skillful in showing the signs of strength and perfection represented in the muscles on the chest and the shoulders. Besides, the details of the fingers, knees and the toes of the legs are shown finely.

The right hand is resting on the thigh, and it holds a seal or a royal handkerchief. The left hand is left open on his knee.

When we look at the statue from the side or the back, we can see the figure of the falcon god Horus behind the head of the King. The falcon is outstretching its wings as if to protect the head and the neck of the King.

 

There is a question about the significance or the reason for placing the falcon behind the head of the King. There are two opinions to this inquiry: 

A- The King was considered in ancient Egypt as a representation of the god Horus while he was alive. So Horus was placed behind the head of the King to express the idea that the King is having the protection of Horus.

B- From the artistic point of view, the neck is the weakest part of the statue. So, the artist wanted to place the falcon behind the neck to protect it from being destroyed.

The great Sphinx

in Cairo, Giza. On the right side, leading to the entrance of Khafre’s pyramid lies the Great Sphinx. This massive structure looks like a human-headed lion patiently guarding the master’s tomb. This giant sculpture depicts the power of the god-king ruler as symbolized by the lion, a symbol of power. The King Khafre was associated with the sun god, Ra, and the name of Khafre means “Appearing like Ra.” The reclining lion is often associated with the sun on the horizon.

The Great Sphinx, Majestic Guardian

Conclusion

King Khafre’s reign in the ancient world could never be doubted because even today, his pieces of grandeur as a ruler of Egypt remain standing. His reign is known for the following:

• He merged impressive designs and plans into his massive building and construction projects.
• He built the second-largest pyramid on the Giza plateau.
• He built the colossal Sphinx by copying his own image for the head.
• His statue, called Khafre Enthroned, was one of the most marvelous finds in archaeology because of the unique material used.
• His body and other remnants were not found in his tomb.