egypt-museum:

Khafre Enthroned

This perfectly modeled and well-polished life-size statue depicts king Khafra, the builder of the second largest pyramid at Giza. It was found in a pit in the antechamber of his Valley Temple at Giza. The king is seated on a throne flanked by lion heads. The two sides of the throne are decorated with the sema-tawy, symbol of the unity of Upper and Lower Egypt.

Khafra wears the nemes headdress, surmounted by the uraeus, or royal cobra. He wears the royal pleated kilt. Attached to his chin is an artificial ceremonial sacred beard. He is protected by the god Horus, represented as a falcon, perched at the back of his neck.

This artifact is a masterpiece of workmanship. The sculptor was able to depict the details of the facial features and muscles of the body, in spite of the hardness of the stone.

Made out of anorthosite gneiss (related to diorite). From the Valley Temple of Khafre. Old Kingdom, 4th Dynasty, around 2570 BC. Now in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo. JE 10062

Photo: Sandro Vannini