Search results
Size: Height 168 cm. Place of discovery: Giza, Valley Temple of Khafre. Material: Diorite. This beautiful statue of King Khafre (called by the Greeks Khefren) i s not only one of the masterpieces of the Egyptian Museum but one of the most important sculptures of ancient Egypt.
- Size and appearance
- Interior
- Valley Temple
- The Great Sphinx
- Khafre
The second great pyramid of Giza was built by Khufu’s second son Khafre. At the very top, a section of outer casing stones like those that would have originally covered all three of the Great Pyramids still survives. Although this monument appears larger than that of his father, it is actually slightly smaller but was constructed 10 meters (33 feet...
The interior is much simpler than that of Khufu’s pyramid, with a single burial chamber, one small subsidiary chamber, and two passageways. The mortuary temple at the pyramid base was more complex than that of Khufu and was filled with statuary of the king—over 52 life-size or larger images originally filled the structure.
Khafre’s valley temple, located at the east end of the causeway leading from the pyramid base, is beautifully preserved. It was constructed of megalithic blocks sheathed with granite and floors of polished white calcite. During excavation, a magnificent just over life size statue of the king carved of an extremely hard stone known as gneiss was dis...
Right next to the causeway leading from Khafre’s valley temple to the mortuary temple sits the first truly colossal sculpture in Egyptian history: the Great Sphinx. This close physical association (along with other evidence) indicates that this massive depiction of a recumbent lion with the head of a king was carved for Khafre.
The Sphinx is carved from the bedrock of the Giza plateau, and it appears that the core blocks used to construct the king’s valley temple were quarried from the layers of stone that run along the upper sides of this massive image.
The lion was a royal symbol as well as being connected with the sun as a symbol of the horizon; the fusion of this powerful animal with the head of the pharaoh was an icon that survived and was often used throughout Egyptian history. The king’s head is on a smaller scale than the body. This appears to have been due to a defect in the stone; a weakness recognized by the sculptors who compensated by elongating the body.
Directly in front of the Sphinx is a separate temple dedicated to the worship of its cult, but very little is known about it since there are no Old Kingdom texts that refer to the Sphinx or its temple. The temple is similar to Khafre’s mortuary temple and has granite pillars forming a colonnade around a central courtyard. However, it is unique in that it has two sanctuaries—one on the east and one on the west—likely connected to the rising and setting sun.
Khan Academy video wrapper
See video transcript
Additional resources:
The Giza Plateau Mapping Project (GPMP)
People also ask
What is Khafre statue?
Where is the Khafre Enthroned funerary statue located?
Are there statues of King Khafre in Giza?
What does Khafre Enthroned look like?
Aug 2, 2023 · Khafre’s Life-Size Statue Inside the Valley Temple, a life-size statue of the king seated on his lion throne was discovered buried in a pit. This beautifully preserved statue, made from diorite, an extremely hard stone, portrays the king wearing the traditional nemes headdress, the royal symbol of the pharaohs of Upper and Lower Egypt, with ...
The funerary statue of Khafre Enthroned represents the apotheosis of the sculptural skill of the court artists applied to the sublimation of royal divinity. The King is portrayed on a cubic throne carved entirely with symbols of royalty. Statue of King Khafre Enthroned. Khafre’s face is characterized by a serene expression and idealized features.
May 29, 2022 · Khafre: Quick Facts. Khafre – ancient Egyptian pharaoh of the Fourth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom (i.e. the Pyramid Age of ancient Egypt). Image: Alabaster statue of Khafre, probably from Memphis, now in the Egyptian Museum at Cairo. Lifespan: c. 2600 BC – c. 2551 BC. Other names: Khafra, Chephren, Khaefre.
INV.No.JE 10062= CG14. This statue, often referred to as “Khafre Enthroned,” is one of the most important and iconic surviving sculptures from ancient Egypt. It depicts the Fourth Dynasty (ca. 2500 BCE) pharaoh Khafre slightly larger-than-life and seated upon a lion-pawed throne.
Nov 16, 2020 · The interior is much simpler than that of Khufu’s pyramid, with a single burial chamber, one small subsidiary chamber, and two passageways. The mortuary temple at the pyramid base was more complex than that of Khufu and was filled with statuary of the king—over 52 life-size or larger images originally filled the structure.
