King Khafre (Chephren) Enthroned with the Horus Falcon

This statue, often referred to as “Khafre Enthroned,” is one of the most important and iconic surviving sculptures from ancient Egypt. It depicts the Fourth Dynasty (ca. 2500 BCE) pharaoh Khafre slightly larger-than-life and seated upon a lion-pawed throne. The sides of the throne are decorated with the sema-tawy hieroglyph, meant to represent the king’s duty to literally “bind” the constituent parts of Egypt together under one authority. The pharaoh sits atop this, expressing at once a sense of