Great Sphinx of Giza

The sphinxes of ancient Egypt were iconic images, usually carved with the faces of pharaohs. They were regarded as protectors of temples or sacred areas. The Great Sphinx is located on the Giza Plateau, the place where the Great Pyramids were built, and is believed to stand as their guardian. It faces the rising sun and appears to have been a focus of solar worship in the Old Kingdom.

Carved out of the surrounding limestone bedrock, the Great Sphinx is 57 meters (185 feet) long, 6 meters (20 feet) wide, and 20 meters (65 feet) in height. Blocks of stone weighing upwards of 200 tons were used to build the adjoining temples located within the Giza complex, the outstanding features of which are the three pyramids. One of these, the Great Pyramid was built for the pharaoh Khufu and is one of the ancient Seven Wonders of the World. So, the Great Sphinx was only a relatively small part of this whole amazing construction project!



Sphinx with Great Pyramid in Background
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While most have accepted that the Great Sphinx was built during the time of the Ancient Egyptian pharoahs Khufu and Khafre, some 4,500 years ago, revisionist archaeologists have posited that the Great Sphinx may actually be prehistoric, as much as than 12,000 years or more old. They suggest that the pyramids represent the three stars of Orion's Belt, and based on computer simulations, it has been calculated that this would constitute a record of the celestial array at the vernal equinox in 10,500 B.C.E. In this view, the Sphinx's lion-shape reflects the constellation of Leo. The layout and orientation of the Sphinx, the Giza pyramid complex and the Nile River correspond to the constellations of Leo, Orion's Belt and the Milky Way, respectively. Whatever the true date and purpose it seems like this was still a pretty amazing construction project.

Unfortunately, though, after the Giza necropolis was abandoned the Great Sphinx was largely buried in the desert sands. Although this may have saved it from the fate of the pyramids whose stone was stripped by later builders. And, fortunately, the Great Sphinx was not left stuck in the sand forever, as great efforts began to dig it out and restoration has been carried out.

The Great Sphinx was buried up to its shoulders in sand when Tutmosis IV made the first attempts to dig it out, back around 1400 B.C.E. We know that he succeeded in digging out the front paws because he placed the "Dream Stela" between the paws. This is an inscribed stone tablet which has been translated to indicate that Tutmosis was at the feet of the sphinx in the presence of Ra, the sun god.

The Sphinx and the Great Pyramid of Khufu at Giza, circa 1860
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It was not until much later that further excavation efforts succeeded in revealing more of the Great Sphinx. An Italian archaeologist by name of Giovanni Battista Caviglia supervised a dig in 1817, which uncovered the chest of the sphinx.

The Great Sphinx Guarding the Pyramids Egypt Statue, c.1910
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It was a full century later before the totality of the Great Sphinx emerged from the sand in 1925.

Pyramid and Sphinx
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Today, the Great Sphinx is a popular tourist attraction. Located very close to Cairo, tourists enjoy the majesty of this mysterious monument right beside the Great Pyramids of Giza, apparently guarding them.

Tourists and Guides Pose for a Photographer Near the Great Sphinx
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On a lighter note, the Great Sphinx is also staring straight ahead to a KFC/Pizza Hut in a shopping plaza located right beside the Giza complex (wish I had a photo, there is at least one out there on the web somewhere). Tourists certainly have it easy these days!

Sphinx in Profile
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Yet the face of the sphinx remains a "riddle." Is it the pharoah Khafre whose likeness is carved in the rock, or someone else? Its broken nose, an iconic image itself, adds to the mystery. Legends abound as to who actually broke the nose, from Napoleon's soldiers, to British troops, although sketches from the early eighteenth century show the sphinx noseless, There is also the mystery of the sphinx's ceremonial beard, which appears to have been attached later, and which later fell off.

In any case, the Great Sphinx is now restored to a state that basically resembles what the statue must have been originally designed to look like, whoever that may be.

Such an iconic image, the Great Sphinx and the Great Pyramids, it is little wonder that artists delight in photographing this site under a variety of lighting conditions. Here are some examples of the way lighting, both natural and artificial, add to the majesty and mystery of this amazing stone monument.

In this view at sunset, the angle makes the Great Sphinx appear larger and more impressive than the Great Pyramid.

Sphinx and Pyramid at Sunset
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With the artificial lighting the Great Sphinx shines like a god in the twilight, a guardian of the Great Pyramid which house the earthly remains of pharoahs.

Pyramids of Giza with the Great Sphinx at Twilight
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With lighting also on the great front paws that have been restored to their original impressive appearance, the Great Sphinx takes its place between the illuminated Pyramids of Giza.

A Night View of the Great Sphinx and the Pyramids of Giza
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Although the Great Sphinx may be connected to the sun and solar worship, the moon together with the artificial illumination of the statue provides an other worldly, divine image.

A View of the Great Sphinx and the Chephren Pyramid at Night
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The Sphynx at Giza by Michanet at Zazzle.com

Power of the sphinx by arteologist23 at Zazzle.com



The Great Sphinx and Khafra's Pyramid by Sufficient at Zazzle.com


Egyptian PROPHECY Magnet by RavenSpiritPrints at Zazzle.com

Copyright © Jennifer P. Tanabe, 2009.
This page was created on June 4, 2009 and is the property of jptanabe (Jennifer P. Tanabe) and Squidoo, LLC. Please do not copy my material!