King Khufu Pharaoh
The Builder Of The Largest Pyramids Of Giza
Khufu, or Cheops, as the Greeks called him, was the second ancient Egyptian Pharaoh of the 4th dynasty. He built the largest of the three pyramids of Giza, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, and he owned the smallest piece of Egyptian Royal Sculpture ever discovered. Ironic, right?
Who is Khufu?
Khufu is the son of King Snefru, the builder of three pyramids: Medium, Red, and Bent pyramids; some historians say that he might be his stepson; his mother was Queen Hetepheres I. He married two times and maybe four; one of his wives is the eldest daughter of King Snefru, Nefert-Kau. Two of his sons succeeded him; the first is Djedefre and the second one is Khafre (Chephren).
How Was Khufu as King ?
Khufu appears in the Egyptian traditions as a typical monarch King, but the Greek Historian Herodotus had a different opinion. He represented the 106 years of the reign of both King Khufu and his son, King Khafre, by years of oppression and misery.
Khufu’s Bad Reputation
How Long did King Khufu Rule?
The number of years King Khufu reigned is still a debatable subject, as the historians Manetho and Herodotus mentioned that he ruled for 63 years, but it appears in the Turin King list that he ruled for only 23 years.
The Building of the Pyramid
When was the Pyramid of Khufu Built?
How Tall is the Pyramid of Khufu?
The Pyramid of Khufu is called the Great Pyramid; since it is the tallest of them, 147 meters above the plateau, it was the largest man-made structure for too long. The pyramid was built using 2.3 million building blocks, each weighing an average of 2.5 tons.
How were the Pyramids of Giza Built?
Another thing that influenced King Khufu’s lousy reputation was the building of the Great Pyramid of Giza, which Herodotus also said he used thousands of slaves, laboring for 20 years to build the magnificent monument. But recent discoveries proved otherwise, as they found workers buried near the pyramid of the King, as they were housed and paid, not taken as slaves. It was believed that the King intended to establish a permanent military presence in the Sinai to prevent any interruption from the bedouins in the work of the turquoise mine, as it was the main quarry of the granite needed to build his pyramid.
Where was King KKhufu Bburied?
Like his father built his funerary monument away from his predecessor’s, his father’s pyramid was in Dahshur, and Khufu built his in Giza, North of Memphis, the capital. The thing is, Khufu’s mummies have never been found to this day. Some Egyptologists suggest that the burial chamber is inside the pyramid still undiscovered, but nothing has been found yet.
Even though King Khufu is one of the most renowned Kings from ancient Egypt, we know little about him; there is only one small ivory sculpture of him found at Abydos, just 7.5 cm high. Whether he was a cruel King or not, we can’t deny that he left us the most magnificent structure that is considered a symbol of Egypt.
