Old Kingdom
Khafre (Chephren)
4th Dynasty · 2613-2494 BCE
Open full-size illustration →Source: Shaw, Oxford History of Ancient Egypt (2000)
Background
Khafre was a Fourth Dynasty king whose pyramid, valley temple and associated complex form the second-largest pyramid group at Giza. His surviving diorite statues are among the most striking images of Old Kingdom kingship, presenting the ruler under Horus’ protection. The Great Sphinx is commonly associated with Khafre because of its location and the layout of his complex, but the attribution is still discussed rather than conclusively documented. His reign followed Djedefre’s and continued the immense resource mobilisation characteristic of Dynasty 4. The monuments provide stronger evidence than later stories about his personality. Research: Metropolitan Museum; UCL Digital Egypt.
Reign dates: Shaw, Oxford History of Ancient Egypt (2000)
Full profile
The second pyramid of Giza
Khafre ascended to the throne in 2558 BCE following the death of his brother Djedefre. He returned the royal burial site to Giza, constructing the second-largest pyramid. While slightly shorter than Khufu's, Khafre's total funerary complex—which includes the pyramid, a valley temple, a mortuary temple, and a 495-meter megalithic causeway—is significantly more massive. Huge granite blocks weighing several tons were transported from Aswan, 965 kilometers to the south, to build the temples. His pyramid is the only one at Giza that still retains a significant portion of its original polished limestone casing at the peak.
The Great Sphinx
The most famous artistic achievement of Khafre's reign is the Great Sphinx. Carved directly from the bedrock, it stands 20 meters high and 73 meters long, making it the largest royal portrait in the world. The face of the Sphinx is traditionally believed to depict Khafre, although some modern art historians argue it resembles Khufu.
Rise of the sun cult
Khafre ruled for an estimated 26 years. He was the first Egyptian king to adopt the title "Sa-Re" (Son of Ra), reflecting the growing religious and political influence of the sun god's priesthood. Khafre died in 2532 BCE and was laid to rest in his pyramid, though his burial chamber was looted centuries before its modern rediscovery.
The seated diorite statues
In 1860, the French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette discovered a cache of statues buried in a pit within Khafre's valley temple, including a seated figure carved from a single block of dark diorite hauled from quarries near the Nubian border, hundreds of kilometers to the south. The statue depicts Khafre enthroned with the falcon god Horus wrapped protectively around the back of his head, a composition read as a statement of divine kingship. Now held in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, it is widely regarded as one of the finest surviving examples of Old Kingdom royal sculpture, and its precision has led some scholars to view it as a benchmark for dating other, less securely attributed statuary from the period.
Sources for this profile
- Baker, D. D. (2008). The Encyclopedia of the Pharaohs: Volume 1. Stacey International.
- Shaw, I. (Ed.). (2000). The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt. Oxford University Press.
- Dodson, A., & Hilton, D. (2004). The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt. Thames & Hudson.
- Leprohon, R. J. (2013). The Great Name: Ancient Egyptian Royal Titulary. Society of Biblical Literature.
- University College London. Digital Egypt for Universities.
The complete, APA-formatted reference list is on the Academic Sources & Bibliography page.