Interior of Khafre's valley temple. Pyramids of Giza, Egypt

During his trip to Egypt, Elisofon visited Jīzah, Ahrāmāt al-, the site of three pyramids from the 4th dynasty (ca. 2613-ca. 2494), built on a rocky plateau near al-Jizah (Giza); one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World; built by kings Khufu (Cheops), Khafre (Chephren) & Menkaure (Mycerinus). [The J. P. Getty Fund: Thesaurus of Geographical Names]. "The valley temple was built of megalithic core blocks sheathed in red granite. Between the two entrances runs the vestibule. A door then led to a T-shaped hall, which constituted the greater part of the valley temple. This again was sheathed with polished red granite and white alabaster, and its roof was supported by 16 single-block granite pillars, many still in position today. There are 23 statue bases. A symbolic circuit runs through the entire aspects of afterlife beliefs and of the embalming according to some Egyptologists." [Lehner M., 1997: The Complete Pyramids. Thames and Hudson]. This photograph was taken when Eliot Elisofon was on assignment for American Institute of Architects, directing the Egyptian portion of the documentary on Ancient Egypt, March 1965 and September 1965.