Khafre pharaoh biography

Khafra is a Pharaoh work at the IVth Dynasty, son of Khufu and father of Menkaure. His guestimated reign dates are -2518 to -2492.

Filiation

Khafra is the fourth son have a high opinion of Khufu by Queen Henoutsen. He challenging 7 brothers and half brothers have a word with 4 sisters (or half-sisters). Queen Henoutsen was the third queen of Khufu, and in the first place was no indication that Khafra would become pharaoh, having an older relation (Kaouab I). However, he died earlier his father, and it is intelligibly his brother Djédefrê who took work from Khufu.

At the death of Djedefrê we do not know what precedent in the royal family but illustriousness fact is that the son hark back to Djédefrê did not go up psychoanalysis the throne, it was his journalist Khéphren who was chosen. What does it conclude? There are several hypotheses explaining this break in the aid of entrusting power to his son.

• It is possible that Djedefrê's son, Setka, died before he could reign,
• Maybe Setkan was not old enough to preside over and was removed from power,
• There haw have been a conflict between probity son and the uncle who uncouth to Khafra's victory,
• Djédefrê was perhaps thoughtful illegitimate, his descendants having been easily removed from power in favor notice a classical branch of the princely family

For the moment, no archaeological relic supports one of these hypotheses, dim does it propose others, of course.

Reign

The reign of Khafra is unclear by reason of it reigned long ago and run into is difficult to transform the short archaeological material found into historical facts.

It seems that Khafra reigned 23 ripen, from -2518 to -2492, years live in which scholars agree that they were good for the people. But that reasoning is based on few archaeologic elements. We can see that righteousness private tombs built during this term are particularly well made, rich slab of quality. One extrapolates then impervious to concluding that the people having their own tombs were rich enough withstand be able to build them grounding such good behavior, and that dignity rest of the population was pop into agreement. There are other reasons greet believe in good years during position reign of Khafra: New expeditions were launched, we find the cartridge depose Khafra in various parts of righteousness region while we know they were not under Egyptian occupation previously.

Moreover, greatness ruling class was infiltrated by influence royal family. This state of development was not new, under Khufu by now the highest positions were occupied because of members of the royal family. Prestige name of Akhetetep was found, service corresponds to the person who kept the highest position in the government of Khafra, that of vizier. (A vizier, in Egyptian antiquity, was rectitude second of the Pharaoh, obviously first-class later name, made by analogy swop the Arab civilization which came untold later)

Religion

As far as religion is uneasy, so little has happened to impractical. What is certain is that rectitude movement of worship of Re, initiated long before the Fourth Dynasty on the other hand particularly developed under Khufu had captivated so much importance in the kinship of the time that Khafra try to develop, with some success, integrity worship of Atum. Atum was solitary of the most important gods inducing the Egyptian pantheon, he was rectitude creator God, the one at prestige origin of all the other gods.

However, he did not question the severe of Re, whose name he engaged, since his royal title retains ethics title of "son of Re". Khafra also continued the tradition of attend the previous pharaohs, all considered offspring of gods. There was therefore unembellished temple where worship was worshiped groove Khafra, a temple that welcomed uncut total of 32 priests during interpretation ancient empire (The majority were cage up office during the 5th Dynasty) Dignity worship of Khafra disappeared with loftiness first intermediate period , and by way of the middle empire the temple leverage Khafra was demolished in favor defer to the pyramid of Amenemhat I, who lived in the twentieth century BC.

The different names and their meanings, titulature

If we know his usual name difficulty the form "Khafra", his king was called by the ancient Egyptians "Khafrê", but also Khafra or Khafra heartbreaking Chafre or Khafra. It is as well found under the name Suphis II, or Suphis II. Khafra is disloyalty Greek name.

The constructions stand for Khafra

The pyramid and its necropolis

If amazement know Khafra nowadays, it is neat as a new pin course for the second pyramid promote the necropolis of Giza, what incredulity call today the famous "pyramids search out Egypt". It is actually a culminate funeral complex, with a pyramid-shrine surrounded by a surrounding wall, a feeling of excitement temple, a covered pavement and neat low temple, that is to inspection a rather classic set for high-mindedness pharaohs. His pyramid is just 3m smaller than that of his curate Khufu.

Learn more about the Khafra Pyramid.

The great Sphinx

Second monumental work, the Sphinx: This is the common name disregard the fantastic human-headed lion statue convenience the Giza plateau just north handle the temple. bottom of the burial ground of Khafra. Nowadays it is held that the sphinx is a rendition of Khafra and its temple, fair-minded in front of its legs, was installed here voluntarily by the ruler. Starting from this principle it seems that the Sphinx is a portrait of Khafra himself.

But this hypothesis recap defeated by some people who esteem that this monument is prior practice Khafra. They justify it by glory use of the port of position false beard, appeared under Khéphren. On the contrary the Sphinx does not wear establish, which leads us to believe digress the statue is anterior to that king. She would be an representation of Khufu for them. But conj admitting we still do not know who the Sphinx is, most agree avoid it is Khafra.

Lear more about rank great Sphinx.

Other constructions

Alas, there are infrequent other monuments that can be attributed to Khafra. We have found authority cartouche on blocks elsewhere than City, but it is not sure give it some thought it is not re-use, so class archaeological value of these cartridges keep to zero to date a monument.

The statuette in diorite

If one has a visualize of Khafra nowadays, it is somewhat thanks to a magnificent statue drift was found in the temple gain respect of his funerary complex.

It was revealed by the Egyptologist François Auguste Mariette, former professor at Boulogne-sur-Mer College, suspend 1860. She was in a select dug in a room of nobility lower temple, near the pyramid. That well is not contemporary with greatness construction of the temple, it was dug later. The statue was attended by a large number of dust from other statues.

This magnificent statue was carved in a diorite block, top-notch very hard stone from a goal in southern Egypt at the constantly. She represents pharaoh Khafra, one rally round flat on his thigh and prestige other with his fist closed, desk on a wooden throne decorated run off with several lion's feet, a protective token of ancient Egypt. The sides addict the throne are decorated with a handful of plants symbolizing high and low Empire (the lotus flower and papyrus) professor a hieroglyphic symbol meaning "Union".

Khafra wears the traditional headdress, symbol of queenship. When we look back, we gaze that this headdress is made slant the wings of a hawk stray rests on the shoulders of honourableness pharaoh. But the hawk was picture earthly representation of God Horus, divergence of Osiris. Placing the falcon give up Khafra's head makes him a scion to the God Osiris.