As Egyptian society became more complex, the architects and craftsmen had become highly specialized. This made possible ambitious building projects in stone such as the pyramids, monumental carvings such as the Great Sphinx, and the creation of finely crafted objects for use in life as well as for the tomb.

The Old Kingdom representation of the reigning king was intended to convey his timeless, ideal, godlike perfection. This head, still very much suggesting its original power, has been re-assembled from fragments found in the king's Mortuary Temple. Chephren was the ruler for whom the second pyramid on the Giza plateau was erected. The Great Sphinx was probably carved in his image. Many statues were made for him but most were later destroyed or damaged and the valuable stone reused for other purposes, perhaps carved into useful objects such as containers and headrests. The accompanying stone fragment bears the king's name in a cartouche, the enclosing shape used to set off royal names.