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 This statue of Khafre was carved out of diorite stone in the Fourth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom. The statue was found in the Valley Temple of Khafre at Giza, next to the Sphinx. This piece is my favorite piece in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo. The great pharaoh Khafre is seated on his throne wearing the royal neme-headdress, a short kilt and false beard. On each side of the throne is carved the sema-tawy motif, a symbol of the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt. I like to walk around this statue and see Horus the falcon wrapped around the head of the king. I imagine that the artist envisioned this as a symbol of Horus taking the king up to the sky in the afterlife. I never cease to be amazed by this masterpiece of Egyptian art that was created 4,500 years ago. (Photo: Kenneth Garrett)

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