Khafre: Giza Part II
Khufu passes to the afterlife, succeeded by two sons: Djedefre and Khafre.
We continue our discusison of the royal funeral cult, and its relationship to the priests as a group.
Khafre immortalises himself in the Great Sphinx of Giza, a monument of beauty and theological importance.
Khufu's royal ship, above and below. Buried by Djedefre in a pit next to his father's monument.
A cross-section of the ship, in model. Planks and beams were lashed together tightly,
in a sophisticated arrangement designed to ensure no leakages.
Khafre's pyramid, seen from the mastaba field west of Khufu's Great Pyramid.
The pyramid of Khafre, viewed from the court of his mortuary temple.
This would have been roofed in antiquity, and the priests would offer to the king's statues, which look like.....
The quarrie in which Khafre's pyramid is built.
Here you see the shape of the limestone blocks being prepared by the monument builders.
This arrangement covers quite a large area; probably used more for Khufu's monument than Khafre's.
The passage into Khafre's chamber. Mind your head.
Khafre's burial chamber. The body is long-lost.
Dehumidifiers keep the air dry from people's breath.
Giovanni Belzoni's testament to his successful entrance of the chamber on 2 March, 1818.
195 years have passed since that day.
All images (except Khafre's statues) by Dominic Perry, 2013.