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Khafra

The fourth pharaoh of the Fourth Dynasty
Also known as: Khafre · Chephren · Khefren
Khafra was a son of Khufu and succeeded his brother Radjedef. It is possible that his name actually was Rakhaf, using the same pattern as his brother, with Ra at the beginning of the name rather than at the end as is the norm used in Egyptology. Rakhaf translates to "Ra is his (very) appearance", which actually makes sense, so it is not unreasonable to consider it. Herodotus and Diodorus transcribed his name as Khephren, which suggests that Khafra would fit as the source. Manetho named him Souphis.

He is of course known as the builder of the second largest pyramid at Giza, but little else is known about him.

Titulary & Hieroglyphs

wsr-jb
User ib
wsr-ꞽb
"Strong-minded"
Borchardt, Catalogue général des antiquités égyptiennes du Musée du Caire, 17
Beckerath, “Handbuch”:54-55, 4:H
wsr-m
User em
wsr-m
"Who is strong by means of the Two Ladies"
Borchardt, Catalogue général des antiquités égyptiennes du Musée du Caire, 16
Beckerath, “Handbuch”:54-55, 4:N
sxm-bjk-nbw
Sekhem bik nebu
sḫm-bꞽk-nbw
"The golden falcon is powerful"
Statue of Chephren, Cairo Museum JE 10062 (CG 14)
PaM, III, 21
Beckerath, “Handbuch”:54-55, 4:G
xa-f-ra
Khaf Ra
ḫꜤ-f-rꜤ
"He appears (as) Ra"
PASSIM
Beckerath, “Handbuch”:54-55, 4:E1·Lepsius, “Denkmäler aus Ägypten und Äthiopien”:II, 41a
xa-f-ra
Khaf Ra
ḫꜤ-f-rꜤ
"He appears (as) Ra"
Abydos Canon23·Beckerath, “Handbuch”:54-55, 4:E3
xa.w-f-ra
Khaf Ra
ḫꜤ.w-f-rꜤ
"He appears (as) Ra"
Saqqara Canon40·Beckerath, “Handbuch”:54-55, 4:E4
wsr-jb-xa-f-ra
User ib Khaf Ra
wsr-ꞽb-ḫꜤ-f-rꜤ
"With a strong heart, he appears (as) Ra"
Aegyptische Inschriften aus den Königlichen Museen zu Berlin, I, p.2 (15387)
Beckerath, “Handbuch”:54-55, 4:E2
..-xa-..
Kha..
..-ḫꜤ-..
Turin King List4.12

Sources of antiquity

Author Greek Transcription Reign
Africanus  iv, 3 Σoυφις Suphis 66 years
Herodotus  127 Χεφρηνα Chephren 56 years
Diodorus  1.64.1 Κεφρην Cephren 56 years
Eratosthenes  16 Σαωφις β Saophis II 27 years

References