Khafre Research Paper

The Creation of Khafre’s Pyramid

        In the early dynasties, Egypt was known as one of the most powerful civilizations in the world. What Egypt was most known for was their man-made pyramids. The purpose of these pyramids were for tombs for the pharaohs and queens. The most famous pyramids are the Pyramids of Giza. These are a set of three pyramids that were built for the kings Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure.

Khafre was a ruler of Egypt in the fourth dynasty. Khafre was the fourth ruler to rule. He was the son of Khufu and had a brother named Djedefre. Khafre’s father reigned for around twenty-three years, then his older brother Djedefre took over. Djedefre is estimated to have ruled for eleven years before he was killed. It is rumored that

he was killed by his younger brother Khafre. (“Khafre.” Rulers of Ancient Egypt: Khafre (Chephren))
    Khafre’s pyramid is the middle pyramid in the set of three, and is the second largest. The sides of his pyramid is measured to be 707.75 feet and are angled at 51°52′. The height of the pyramid was originally 471 feet high, but is not the exact same now. The pyramid was made out of limestone and granite that were laid in rows. It is estimated that each block weighed anywhere from 2.5 to 15 tons. To move these stone blocks builders used ramps and sleds. (Press & Forman 2017)

Khafre’s pyramid is more complex than the others. The pyramid  has two entrances to it, an upper and a lower. The upper entrance leads downward through a hallway and connects with the lower entrance. At the end of the hallway is a room that was used for the burial chamber. This was where Khafre was laid to rest, and where his organs were stored. The lower entrance leads to another chamber that is used to bury the queen.   (“Khafre.” Rulers of Ancient Egypt: Khafre (Chephren))
Also apart of Khafre’s pyramid is the Mortuary and Valley temples.

The Mortuary temple had stone columns, chamber rooms, and many statues of Khafre. This temple was made of limestone blocks like the rest of the pyramid. The Valley temple had two entrances to it, and was made out of red granite. This temple also had many rooms and stored several statues of the king.  (“Khafre.” Rulers of Ancient Egypt: Khafre (Chephren))

Khafre is also responsible for building the Sphinx. This statue is one of the oldest and largest statues in the world. It’s measured to be 241 feet long, 66 feet high, and 20 feet wide. It’s located outside and in front of Khafre’s pyramid. The Sphinx is a combination of a lion’s body and a pharaoh's head. The head used for the statue is said to be Khafre's, but no one is for certain. (“Ancient Egypt.” Ducksters Educational Site)

Khafre’s pyramid was very significant to Egypt’s history. The building of his pyramid provided many jobs for the people there. His pyramid influenced the building of later pyramids. Although the other pyramids didn’t reach the height of his, his pyramid was used to help design other models. His pyramid and other pyramids were important to people back then because, they were used to honor kings when they

pass.
Khafre’s pyramid is a major monument in Egypt. It is part of the three pyramids of Giza. Khafre’s pyramid was built to bury him and honor him after his death. His pyramid is still visited today, and is a major tourist attraction for Egypt.