Address: Egypt, Giza plateau in the suburbs of Cairo
Date of construction: XXVI-XXIII centuries BC. e.
Coordinates: 29°58"41.3"N 31°07"52.1"E
Where the green valley of the Nile gives way to the Libyan desert, in the suburbs of Cairo, on the Giza plateau, the Great Pyramids stand firm. To the gaze of a tourist who arrived in Giza, the pyramids open unexpectedly: like a mirage, they “grow” from the hot sands of the desert.
Great Pyramids of Giza aerial view
In the ancient world, the pyramids were considered one of the " 7 wonders of the world", But even today they impress with their immense size, and their secrets will excite the imagination of mankind for a long time to come. The pyramids were admired by the "powerful ones" - Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, etc.
Great Pyramids of Giza. From left to right: Pyramids of Queens, Pyramid of Menkaure, Pyramid of Khafre, Pyramid of Cheops
Wanting to inspire the French army before the famous battle with the Mamluks, Napoleon, standing at the pyramids, exclaimed: “Soldiers, 40 centuries are looking at you from these peaks!” And then Bonaparte calculated: if the pyramid of Cheops was dismantled, then from 2.5 million stone blocks it would be possible to build a 3-meter wall around France.
The Three Great Pyramids, guarded by the Great Sphinx, are part of the huge Giza necropolis. These pyramids were built under the pharaohs of the IV dynasty, which ruled in the Old Kingdom in 2639-2506. BC e. They are surrounded by small pyramids and temples where pharaohs' wives, priests and officials are buried.
The Pyramid of Cheops
Pyramid of Cheops (Khufu)
The largest of the pyramids - the pyramid of Cheops - is the only one of the "7 Wonders of the World" that has survived to this day. For more than 3000 years, before the construction of Lincoln Cathedral in England (1311), the Pyramid of Cheops was the tallest building on Earth. Its original height - 146.6 meters - corresponded to a 50-story skyscraper, but after an earthquake in the XIII century, the Cheops pyramid decreased by 8 meters - it lost its lining and the gilded pyramidon stone that crowned the top.
Pyramid of Cheops and the Solar Boat Museum
The Egyptians took away the polished white limestone facing slabs and used them in the construction of Cairo houses and mosques. The Pyramid of Cheops amazes with its grandeur and titanic labor of people who raised stone blocks weighing 2.5 tons to the sky with the help of primitive devices - ropes and levers. And in the "King's Chamber" granite blocks weigh up to 80 tons. The Arab historian Abdel Latif (XII century) notes that individual blocks are so tightly fitted to each other that it is impossible to stick a knife edge between them.
solar boat
solar boat
Inside the pyramid of Cheops there are burial chambers, and outside, at its foot, stands the Museum of the Solar Boat. On this ship, built of cedar without a single nail, the pharaoh was supposed to go to the afterlife.
Pyramid of Khafre
Pyramid of Khafre (Khafra)
The second largest ancient Egyptian pyramid was erected 40 years later than the first by Pharaoh Khafre, the son of Cheops. Although the pyramid of Khafre is inferior in height (136.4 m) to the tomb of his father, but due to its location on a higher point of the plateau, it competed with the Great Pyramid.
At the top of Khafre's pyramid, a white basalt cladding has been partially preserved, resembling a glacier on a mountain.
Pyramid of Menkaure
Pyramid of Menkaure (Menkaure)
The ensemble of the Great Pyramids is completed by the relatively modest tomb of Mykerin, built for the grandson of Cheops. Contrary to the loud nickname "Heru" (high), it reaches only 62 meters in height, but it emphasizes the greatness of the pyramids of Cheops and Khafre.
Great Sphinx
Great Sphinx
At the foot of the Giza plateau rises a monumental sculpture 73 meters long and 20 meters high. It is carved from a monolithic limestone rock in the form of a sphinx - a mythical creature with a human head, paws and body of a lion. According to scientists, the facial features of the Great Sphinx are similar to the appearance of Pharaoh Khafre. The gaze of the Sphinx is directed to the east, to the rising sun. According to the beliefs of the Egyptians, the lion was a symbol of the solar deity, and the pharaoh was the viceroy of the sun god Ra on earth, and after death merged with the shining luminary.
Great Sphinx from the rear
The lions stood at the gates of the underworld, so the Sphinx is considered to be the guardian of the necropolis. The face of the statue is badly damaged. Most often you can hear that the nose of the Sphinx was beaten off by the Napoleonic grenadiers. According to another version of the legend, the sculpture was damaged by one shah, a religious fanatic. The reason for the vandalism is simple: Islam forbids making images of people and animals.
The Great Sphinx with the Pyramid of Khafre in the background
Secrets of ancient times: why were the pyramids built?
Until now, disputes about the purpose of the pyramids do not stop. The traditional version says that the mounds towering above the mortal world could be the tombs of the pharaohs, from where their ashes ascended closer to the sky and the sun. Some scientists consider the pyramids to be temples where the sun worshipers performed religious rites; others are scientific laboratories created for astronomical observations. German archaeologists put forward another hypothesis: the pyramids are natural generators of terrestrial energy.
Hearing the combination of the words "Ancient Egypt", many will immediately imagine the majestic pyramids and the great Sphinx - it is with them that the mysterious civilization, separated from us by several millennia, is associated. Let's get acquainted with interesting facts about sphinxes, these mysterious creatures.
Definition
What is a sphinx? This word first appeared in the Land of the Pyramids, and later spread throughout the world. So, in ancient Greece you can meet a similar creature - a beautiful woman with wings. In Egypt, these creatures were most often masculine. A sphinx with the face of a female pharaoh Hatshepsut is known. Having received the throne and pushed aside the rightful heir, this imperious woman tried to rule like a man, she even wore a special false beard. Therefore, it is not surprising that many statues of this time have found her face.
What function did they perform? According to mythology, the sphinx acted as the guardian of tombs and temple buildings, which is why most of the statues that have survived to this day were found near such structures. So, in the temple of the supreme deity, solar Amon, about 900 of them were found.
So, answering the question of what a sphinx is, it should be noted that this is a statue characteristic of the culture of Ancient Egypt, which, according to mythology, guarded temple buildings and tombs. Limestone was used as a material for creation, of which there were quite a lot in the Land of the Pyramids.
Description
The ancient Egyptians depicted the sphinx like this:
- The head of a human, most often a pharaoh.
- The body of a lion, one of the sacred animals of the hot country of Kemet.
But such an appearance is not the only option for depicting a mythological creature. Modern finds prove that there were other species, for example with a head:
- a ram (the so-called cryosphinxes were installed at the temple of Amon);
- Falcon (they were called hierakosphinxes and most often placed near the temple of the god Horus);
- hawk.
So, answering the question of what a sphinx is, it should be pointed out that this is a statue with the body of a lion and the head of another creature (more often a man, a ram), which was installed in the immediate vicinity of the temples.
The most famous sphinxes
The tradition of creating very original statues with a human head and a lion's body was inherent in the Egyptians for a long time. So, the first of them appeared during the fourth dynasty of the pharaohs, that is, approximately in 2700-2500. BC e. It is interesting that the first representative was female and depicted Queen Hetepher II. This statue has reached us, everyone can look at it in the Cairo Museum.
Everyone knows the Great Sphinx at Giza, which we will discuss below.
The second largest sculpture depicting an unusual creature is an alabaster creation with the face of Pharaoh Amenhotep II, discovered in Memphis.
No less famous is the famous Alley of Sphinxes near the Temple of Amun in Luxor.
The greatest value
The most famous all over the world, of course, is the Great Sphinx, which not only amazes the imagination with its huge size, but also sets many mysteries for the scientific community.
The giant with a lion's body is located on a plateau in Giza (near the capital of the modern state, Cairo) and is part of a funerary complex, which also includes the three great pyramids. It is carved from a monolithic block and is the largest structure for which a single stone was used.
Even the age of this outstanding monument causes controversy, although analysis of the rock suggests that it is at least 4.5 millennia old. What features of this colossal monument are known?
- The face of the Sphinx, disfigured by time and, as one of the legends says, by the barbaric actions of the soldiers of Napoleon's army, most likely depicts Pharaoh Khafre.
- The giant's face is turned to the east, and it is there that the pyramids are located - the statue seems to protect the peace of the greatest pharaohs of antiquity.
- The dimensions of the figure, carved from monolithic limestone, amaze the imagination: length - more than 55 meters, width - about 20 meters, shoulder width - more than 11 meters.
- Previously, the ancient sphinx was painted, as evidenced by the preserved remains of paint: red, blue and yellow.
- Also, the statue had a beard, characteristic of the kings of Egypt. It has survived to this day, although separate from the sculpture - it is kept in the British Museum.
The giant was buried under the sands several times, it was dug up. Perhaps it was the protection of the sand that helped the Sphinx survive the destructive influence of natural disasters.
Changes
The Egyptian Sphinx managed to defeat time, but it affected the change in its appearance:
- Initially, the figure had a headdress traditional for pharaohs, decorated with a sacred cobra, but it was completely destroyed.
- Lost the statue and false beard.
- Nose injury has already been mentioned. Someone blames the shelling of Napoleon's army for this, others - the actions of Turkish soldiers. There is also a version that the protruding part suffered from wind and humidity.
Despite this, the monument is one of the greatest creations of the ancients.
Mysteries of history
Let's get acquainted with the secrets of the Egyptian Sphinx, many of which have not been solved so far:
- Legend has it that under the giant monument there are three underground passages. However, only one of them was found - behind the giant's head.
- The age of the largest sphinx is still unknown. Most scholars believe that it was built during the reign of Khafre, but there are those who consider the sculpture to be more ancient. So, her face and head retained traces of the influence of the water element, which is why the hypothesis arose that the giant was erected more than 6 millennia ago, when a terrible flood hit Egypt.
- Perhaps the army of the French emperor is wrongly accused of damaging the great monument of the past, since there are drawings by an unknown traveler, in which the giant is already depicted without a nose. Napoleon had not yet been born at that time.
- As you know, the Egyptians knew writing and documented everything on papyri in detail - from conquests and the construction of temples to tax collection. However, not a single scroll has been found that would contain information about the construction of the monument. Perhaps these documents simply have not survived to this day. Perhaps the reason is that the giant appeared long before the Egyptians themselves.
- The first mention of the Egyptian Sphinx was found in the writings of Pliny the Elder, which refers to the work of digging out sculptures from sand.
The majestic monument of the Ancient World has not yet revealed all its mysteries to us, so its research continues.
Restoration and protection
We learned what the Sphinx is, what role it played in the worldview of the ancient Egyptian. Even under the pharaohs, they tried to dig out a huge figure from the sand and partially restore it. It is known that such work was carried out during the time of Thutmose IV. A granite stele (the so-called “Stele of Sleep”) has been preserved, which tells that one day the pharaoh had a dream in which the god Ra ordered him to clear the statue of sand, in return promising power over the entire state.
Later, the conqueror Ramses II ordered to dig up the Egyptian sphinx. Then attempts were made at the beginning of the 19th and 20th centuries.
Now let's see how our contemporaries are trying to preserve this cultural heritage. The figure was carefully analyzed, all cracks were identified, the monument was closed to the public and restored within 4 months. In 2014, it was reopened to tourists.
The history of the Sphinx in Egypt is amazing and filled with secrets and mysteries. Many of them have not yet been solved by scientists, so the amazing figure with the body of a lion and the face of a man continues to attract attention.
Sphinx is a Greek word of Egyptian origin. The Greeks called this a mythical monster with a female head, a lion's body and bird wings. It was the offspring of the hundred-headed giant Python and his half-snake wife Echidna; other famous mythical monsters also originated from them: Cerberus, Hydra and Chimera. This monster lived on a rock near Thebes and asked people a riddle; who could not solve it, the Sphinx killed him. So the Sphinx destroyed people until Oedipus solved its riddle; then the Sphinx threw himself into the sea, because fate predetermined that he would not survive the right answer. (By the way, the riddle was quite simple: “Who walks on four legs in the morning, on two at noon, and on three in the evening?” “A man!” replied Oedipus. “In infancy he crawls on all fours, in adulthood he walks on two feet, and in old age leans on a stick.")
In the Egyptian understanding, the Sphinx was neither a monster nor a woman, as among the Greeks, and did not make riddles; it was a statue of a ruler or god, whose power was symbolized by a lion's body. Such a statue was called shesep-ankh, i.e. "living image" (ruler). From the distortion of these words, the Greek "sphinx" arose.
Although the Egyptian Sphinx did not ask riddles, the huge statue itself under the pyramids in Giza is a riddle incarnate. Many have tried to explain his mysterious and somewhat contemptuous smile. Scientists asked questions: who does the statue depict, when was it created, how was it carved?
After a hundred years of study, during which drilling machines and gunpowder were involved, Egyptologists have revealed the real name of the Sphinx. The surrounding Arabs called the statue Abu "l Hod - "Father of Horror", philologists found out that this is a folk etymology of the ancient "Horun". This name hid several even more ancient ones, and at the end of the chain stood the ancient Egyptian Haremakhet (in Greek Harmahis), which meant "Chorus in the sky". The choir was called the deified ruler, and the sky was the place where, after death, this ruler merges with the god of the Sun. The full name meant: "The living image of Khafre." So, the Sphinx depicted pharaoh Khafra(Khafre) with the body of the king of the desert, a lion, and with symbols of royal power, i.e. Khafre - a god and a lion guarding his pyramid.
Mysteries of the Sphinx. video film
There is no statue in the world that exceeds the size of the Great Sphinx. It is hewn from a single block left in the quarry, where the stone was mined for the construction of the pyramid of Khufu, and then of Khafre. It combines a remarkable creation of technology with wonderful artistic fiction; Khafra's appearance, known to us from other sculptural portraits, despite the stylization of the image, is conveyed correctly, with individual features (wide cheekbones and large lagging ears). As can be judged from the inscription at the feet of the statue, it was created during the life of Khafre; therefore, this Sphinx is not only the largest, but also the oldest monumental statue in the world. From her front paw to the tail - 57.3 meters, the height of the statue - 20 meters, the width of the face - 4.1 meters, the height - 5 meters, from the top to the earlobe - 1.37 meters, the length of the nose - 1.71 meters. The Great Sphinx is over 4500 years old.
Now it is badly damaged. The face is disfigured, as if it had been hit with a chisel or shot with cannonballs. The royal uraeus, a symbol of power in the form of a cobra raised on the forehead, disappeared forever; the royal nemes (a festive scarf descending from the back of the head to the shoulders) is partially broken off; from the "divine" beard, a symbol of royal dignity, there were only fragments found at the feet of the statue. Several times the Sphinx was covered with desert sand, so that one head stuck out, and even that was not always complete. As far as we know, the pharaoh was the first to order it to be excavated at the end of the 15th century BC. e. According to legend, the Sphinx appeared to him in a dream, asked for it and promised the double crown of Egypt as a reward, which, as evidenced by the inscription on the wall between his paws, he subsequently fulfilled. Then he was released from the captivity of the sands by the Saisi rulers in the 7th century BC. e., after them - the Roman emperor Septimius Severus at the beginning of the III century AD. e. In modern times, the Sphinx was first dug up in 1818 by Caviglia, doing this at the expense of the then ruler of Egypt Muhammad Ali, who paid him 450 pounds sterling - a very large amount for those times. In 1886, his work had to be repeated by the famous Egyptologist Maspero. Then the excavations of the Sphinx were carried out by the Egyptian Antiquities Service in 1925-1926; The work was supervised by the French architect E. Barez, who partially restored the statue and erected a fence protecting it from new drifts. The Sphinx generously rewarded him for this: between the front paws were the remains of a temple, which until then none of the researchers in the field of the pyramids in Giza had suspected.
However, time and the desert did not damage the Sphinx as much as human stupidity. The wounds on the face of the Sphinx, resembling chisel marks, were indeed caused by a chisel: in the 14th century, a certain pious Muslim sheikh mutilated it in order to fulfill the covenant of the prophet Muhammad, which forbids depicting a human face. Wounds that look like traces of nuclei are also such. It was the Egyptian soldiers - the Mamelukes - who used the head of the Sphinx as a target for their cannons.
Each civilization had its own sacred symbols that brought something special to culture and history. The Egyptian guardian of the tombs, the sphinx, is proof of the greatest strength of the country and people, their power. This is a monumental reminder of the divine rulers, who gave the world an image of eternal life. The majestic guardian of the desert inspires fear in people to this day: its origin and existence is shrouded in mystery, mystical legends and milestones in history.
Description of the sphinx
The Sphinx is the majestic tireless guardian of the Egyptian tombs. At his post, he had to see many - they all received a riddle from him. Those who found a solution moved on, and those who did not have an answer - great grief awaited.
Riddle of the Sphinx: “Tell me, who walks on four legs in the morning, two in the afternoon, and three in the evening? None of all the creatures living on earth changes like him. When he walks on four legs, then he has less strength and moves more slowly than at other times?
There are several options for the origin of this mysterious creature. Each of the versions was born in different parts of the world.
Egyptian guards
The symbol of the greatness of the people - a statue erected in Giza, on the left bank of the Nile River - a sphinx creature with the head of one of the pharaohs - Khafre - and the massive body of a lion. The Egyptian guard is not just a figure, it is a symbol. The body of a lion contains the incommensurable strength of a mythical animal, and the upper part speaks of a sharp mind and incredible memory.
In Egyptian mythology, creatures with the head of a ram or a falcon are mentioned. These are also guardian sphinxes. They are installed at the entrance to the temple to the glory of the gods Horus and Amon. In Egyptology, this creature has varieties depending on the type of head, the presence of functional elements, gender.
Historians claim that the true purpose of the Egyptian sphinxes is to protect the treasures and the body of the deceased pharaoh. Sometimes they were installed at the entrance to temples to scare away thieves. Only meager descriptions of the life of this mythical creature have come down to us. We can only guess what role he was assigned in the life of the ancient Egyptians.
Predator from ancient Greece
Egyptian mythological writings have not survived, but Greek legends have survived to this day. Some researchers suggest that the Greeks borrowed the image of a mysterious creature from the Egyptians, but the right to create the name belongs to the inhabitants of Hellas. There are those who think quite differently: Greece is the birthplace of the Sphinx, and Egypt borrowed it and modified it for themselves.
Both creatures in different mythological texts have similarities only in bodies, their heads are different. The Egyptian sphinx is a male, the Greek is depicted as a woman. She has a bull tail and big wings.
Opinions on the origin of the Greek Sphinx vary:
- Some scriptures say that the predator is the child of the union of Typhon and Echidna.
- Others claim that this is the daughter of Orff and Chimera.
The character, according to legend, was sent to King Lai as a punishment for stealing the son of King Pelop and taking him away with him. The Sphinx guarded the road at the entrance to the city and she asked each wanderer a riddle. If the answer was wrong, she ate the person. The predator received the only solution to the riddle from Oedipus. The proud creature could not stand the defeat and threw himself on the rocks, this completes his life path in the ancient Greek writings.
Hero of myths in modern texts
The vigilant guard flashed on the pages of works more than once and everywhere he was associated with power and mysticism. To pass through the road guarded by the sphinx, you can only correctly answer the riddle. Joanne Rowling used this image in the book "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" - these are vigilant servants to whom magicians trusted their magical values.
For some science fiction writers, the sphinx is a monster, with some subspecies of genetic mutations.
Sphinx statue at Giza
The monument with the face of Khafre over the tomb of the pharaoh is located on the left bank of the Nile, is part of the whole complex of architecture of the plateau of Ancient Egypt, a few kilometers from the main pyramid in the ensemble - Cheops.
The length of the statue is about 73 m, height 20. It can be seen even from Cairo, although it is located 30 km from Giza.
The Egyptian Sphinx Monument is one of the popular tourist spots, so it's easy to get to the complex. It is easy to take a taxi to the plateau, the trip from the center will take no more than half an hour. The cost is not more than 30 dollars. If you need to save money and have a lot of time, the bus will do. Some hotels provide a free shuttle service to the Great Sphinx Plateau.
The history of the origin of the Egyptian sphinx
In scientific texts there is no exact description of why and who erected this statue, only guesses. There is evidence that the construction is 4517 years old. Its creation dates back to 2500 BC. e. The architect is supposedly called Pharaoh Khafre. The material of which the Sphinx is composed coincides with the creator's pyramid. The blocks are made of burnt clay.
Researchers from Germany suggested that the statue was erected in 7000 BC. e. The hypothesis was put forward on the basis of test samples of the material and erosional changes in clay blocks.
Egyptologists from France claim that the Sphinx statue has gone through several restorations.
purpose
The ancient name of the sphinx statue is “the rising sun”, the inhabitants of ancient Egypt thought that it was a building to the glory of the greatness of the Nile. Many civilizations saw in the sculpture a divine principle and a reference to the image of the Sun God - Ra.
According to some assumptions of researchers, the sphinx is an assistant for the pharaohs in the afterlife and the guard of the tombs from ruin. A composite image associated with several seasons at once: the wings are responsible for autumn, the paws indicate summer, the body is spring, and the head corresponds to winter.
Secrets of the Egyptian Sphinx Statue
For several millennia, Egyptologists cannot agree, they argue about the origin of such a large monument and its true purpose. The Sphinx is fraught with many mysteries, to find the answer to which is not yet possible.
Is there a hall of chronicles
Edgar Cayce, an American architect, was the first to claim that there were underground passages under the statue of the Sphinx. His statement was also confirmed by Japanese researchers who, with the help of X-rays, found a rectangular chamber 5 m long under the left paw of a lion. Hypothesis of Edgar Cayce says: the Atlanteans decided to perpetuate the traces of their presence on earth in a special "hall of chronicles."
Archaeologists put forward their theory. In 1980, when drilling 15 m deep, the presence of Aswan granite and traces of the memorial room was proved. In this place of the country there are no deposits of this mineral. It was brought there on purpose and the “hall of chronicles” was inlaid with it.
Where did the Sphinx go?
The ancient Greek philosopher and historian Herodotus, traveling through Egypt, made notes. Upon returning home, he compiled an accurate map of the location of the pyramids in the complex, indicating the age from the words of eyewitnesses and the exact number of sculptures. In his chronicles, he included the number of slaves involved and even detailed the food they were served.
Surprisingly, there is no mention of a great sphinx in his documents. Egyptologists suggest that during the exploration of Herodotus, the statue was completely buried under the sands. This happened to the sphinx several times: in two centuries it was dug up at least 3 times. In 1925, the statue was completely cleared of sand.
Why is he facing east
An interesting fact: on the chest of a large Egyptian sphinx there is an inscription "I look at your fuss." He is indeed majestic and mysterious, wise and wary. There was a barely perceptible smirk on his lips. It seems to many that the monument cannot change the fate of a person in any way, but the facts say otherwise.
One photographer allowed himself too much: he climbed onto the statue for spectacular photos, but felt a push in the back and fell. When he woke up, he did not see the pictures on the camera, despite the fact that all this time he was alone, and the camera was film.
The mystical guardian showed his abilities more than once, so the inhabitants of Egypt are sure that the statue keeps their peace and watches the Sunrise.
Where is the nose and beard of the sphinx
There are several suggestions why the sphinx lacks a nose and beard:
- During the great Egyptian campaign of Bonaparte, they were repulsed by artillery shells. The images of the Egyptian Sphinx made earlier than this event refute this theory - parts are already missing on them.
- The second theory claims that in the 14th century Islamic extremists tried to mutilate it, obsessed with the idea of ridding the inhabitants of the idol. The vandals were caught and publicly executed right next to the statue.
- The third theory is based on erosional changes in sculpture due to the effects of wind and water. This option is accepted by researchers from Japan and France.
Restoration
Researchers have repeatedly made attempts to restore the statue of the great Egyptian sphinx and completely clear it of sand. Ramses II is the first to excavate a folk symbol. Then the restoration was carried out by Italian Egyptologists in 1817 and 1925. In 2014, the statue was closed for cleaning and restoration for several months.
Some Fascinating Facts
In various historical documents there are records that help to better understand the life of the people of Ancient Egypt and get ground for reflection on the origin of the great sphinx:
- Excavations of the plateau around the statue revealed that the builders of this gigantic monument left the place of work at the end of the construction quickly. There are remnants of mercenaries' belongings, tools and household items everywhere.
- During the construction of the statue of the Sphinx, a high salary was paid - this is evidenced by the excavations of M. Lehner. He managed to calculate the approximate menu of the worker.
- The statue was multicolored. Wind, water and sand tried to destroy the sphinx and the pyramids on the plateau, mercilessly affecting them. But despite this, traces of yellow and blue paint remained in some places on his chest and head.
- The first mention of the Sphinx belongs to ancient Greek writings. In the epic of Hellas, this is a female creature, cruel and sad when the Egyptians transformed it - the statue has a male face with an almost neutral expression.
- This is an androsphinx - he has no wings and he is a man.
Despite the past millennia, the sphinx is still majestic and monumental, full of mysteries and shrouded in myths. He fixes his gaze into the distance and calmly watches the sunrise. Why the Egyptians made this mythical creature their main symbol is a mystery of antiquity that cannot be solved. We are left with only speculation.
Great Sphinx (Egypt) - description, history, location. Exact address, phone number, website. Reviews of tourists, photos and videos.
- Tours for May Worldwide
- Hot tours Worldwide
Previous photo Next photo
One of the most ancient sculptures in the world, without a doubt, can be called the statue of the Sphinx. In addition, it is also one of the most mysterious sculptures, because the secret of the Sphinx has not yet been fully solved. The Sphinx is a creature with a woman's head, the paws and body of a lion, the wings of an eagle and the tail of a bull. One of the largest images of the Sphinx is located on the west bank of the Nile, next to the Egyptian pyramids at Giza.
Almost everything related to the Egyptian Sphinx is controversial among scientists. The exact date of origin of this sculpture is still unknown, and it is completely incomprehensible why the statue has no nose now.
The statue, made of limestone, looks monumental and majestic. It is worth noting its impressive dimensions: length - 73 meters, height - 20 meters. The Sphinx looks at the Nile and the rising sun.
Almost everything related to the Sphinx causes controversy among scientists. The exact date of origin of this sculpture is still unknown, and it is completely incomprehensible why the statue has no nose now. The meaning of the word is also unknown: in Greek, “sphinx” means “strangler”, but what the ancient Egyptians put into this name remains a mystery.
It was customary to portray the Egyptian pharaohs as a formidable lion that would not spare a single enemy. That is why it is believed that the Sphinx guards the rest of the buried pharaohs. The author of the sculpture is unknown, but many researchers believe that it is Khafre. Admittedly, this argument is highly controversial. Proponents of the theory refer to the fact that the stones of the sculpture and the pyramid of Khafre located nearby are the same in size. In addition, an image of this pharaoh was found not far from the statue.
Interestingly, the Sphinx does not have a nose. Of course, once this detail existed, but the reason for its disappearance is still unknown. Perhaps the nose was lost during the battle between Napoleon's troops and the Turks on the territory of the pyramids in 1798. But, according to the Danish traveler Norden, the Sphinx looked like this already in 1737. There is a version that back in the 14th century, some religious fanatic mutilated the sculpture in order to fulfill the covenant of Muhammad to ban the image of a human face.
The Sphinx is missing not only a nose, but also a false ceremonial beard. Her story also causes controversy among scientists. Some believe that the beard was made much later than the sculpture itself. Others believe that the beard was made at the same time as the head and that the ancient Egyptians simply did not have the technical capabilities for the subsequent installation of parts.
The destruction of the sculpture and its subsequent restoration helped scientists find interesting facts. So, for example, Japanese archaeologists came to the conclusion that the Sphinx was built before the pyramids. In addition, they found a tunnel under the left paw of the statue, leading towards the pyramid of Khafre. It is interesting that for the first time Soviet researchers mentioned this tunnel.
For a long time, the mysterious sculpture was under a thick layer of sand. The first attempts to dig up the Sphinx were made in antiquity by Thutmose IV and Ramses II. True, they did not achieve much success. Only in 1817 was the Sphinx freed from its chest, and after more than 100 years the statue was completely unearthed.
Address: Nazlet El-Semman, Al Haram, Giza
