Great Sphinx of Giza, colossal limestone statue of a recumbent sphinx located in Giza, Egypt, that likely dates from the reign of King Khafre (c. 2575–c. 2465 bce) and depicts his face. It is one of Egypt's most famous landmarks and is arguably the best-known example of sphinx art.
Frequently asked questions about the Great Sphinx of Giza
There is no evidence at all that there is anything is inside as its carved into the rock. Myths do exist about a secret room but nothing has been proven.
This sphinx was not a burial tomb, rather its purpose was to guard important tombs, temples, and monuments in the Giza complex, the fourth dynasty necropolis of Egypt's Old Kingdom including tombs and pyramids of the Pharaohs Khufu, Khafre, Menkaure, and Queen Khentkaus I.
Egyptologists believe the Sphinx to be approximately 4500 years old. They link this age to the Pharaoh Khafra, for who the face of the Sphinx supposedly resembles.
He originally estimated the Sphinx to have been created before 5000 BC, later pushing his minimum estimate further back to 9700 BC, once again aligning it with Plato's lost civilization of Atlantis.
Put another way, the ancient Egyptian pyramids were built between about roughly 2700 B.C. and 1500 B.C. This makes the earliest pyramids about the same age as Stonehenge, which was initially built between 4,000 to 5,000 years ago.
The circumstances surrounding the Sphinx's nose being broken off are uncertain, but close inspection suggests a deliberate act using rods or chisels. Contrary to a popular myth, it was not broken off by cannonfire from Napoleon's troops during his 1798 Egyptian campaign.
The basic idea in this theory is that the Sphinx had originally been carved to be a big jackal, an image of Anubis in his zoomorphic form guarding the tombs. Later, something damaged the jackal face, so the face was recarved to be a human face.
In any case, it's difficult and dangerous to study the sculpture because active excavations can destroy it. Then the entrance to the underground rooms can get blocked by rocks and lost forever.
The specially designated space around the Great Sphinx in Giza makes it impossible to get close to the monument and touch it, but you can still get close enough to have a good look at the Egyptian Sphinx's nose, and take an effective photo.
The Hall of Records is a purported ancient library that is claimed to exist underground near the Great Sphinx of Giza in Egypt. The concept originated with claims made by Edgar Cayce, an American who claimed to be clairvoyant and was a forerunner of the New Age movement.
The Great Sphinx of Giza has not been opened in the sense of a full excavation or entering inside the structure itself. However, there have been various investigations and studies conducted around and within the Sphinx.
The Sphinx is largely a solid limestone statue, and it is believed to be a funerary monument.
Q: Can you go inside the Sphinx? A: No, currently, tourists are not allowed to enter the Sphinx. However, there have been historical accounts of explorations and excavations within the Sphinx's body.
They found several rectangular chambers approximately 20 feet beneath the Sphinx's paws. Although the chamber under the Sphinx had not been confirmed, the theory did lend credibility to the possibility. The Hall of Records is, of course, one of the most famous myths associated with the Sphinx.
NARRATOR: According to this theory, a fanatical dervish named Mohammed Sa'im al-Dahr was responsible. He is said to have hired some men to smash off the Sphinx's nose as she was still worshipped as a false god. To this day, the Arabs refer to the Sphinx as Abul Hul, or Father of Terror.
The Great Sphinx of Giza, which dates back to around 2500 BCE, is widely believed to have originally had the head of a man, specifically that of a pharaoh. Most Egyptologists agree that the Sphinx represents Pharaoh Khafre, who was associated with the nearby pyramid.
Much has been written of the disproportionate sizing of the Sphinx head relative to the lion body. It is variously attributed to miscalculation, structural constraints, material limitations, or the major fissures.
For decades, it's been theorized the Great Sphinx of Giza may have originally been a lion-shaped natural landform that ancient Egyptians modified to form the stone-faced feline. A new study from the New York University uses fluid dynamics to analyze if the creation of a such a shape via wind erosion is possible.
The Sphynx's distinctive hairlessness is primarily due to a mutation in the KRT71 gene, which also affects other breeds, such as the Devon Rex and Selkirk Rex, albeit with different outcomes. This gene is responsible for the keratinization of the hair follicle.
The French emperor did, however, lay eyes on the Sphinx's face when he arrived in Giza, with many soldiers, painters, and engravers in tow. “Thousands of years of history are looking down upon us,” he reportedly exclaimed beneath the monument's gaze. Napoleon didn't respect borders, but he did respect history.
Did Napoleon's troops shoot the nose off the Sphinx? Although popular legend blames Napoleon and his troops during the French campaign in Egypt (1798-1801) for having shot the nose off the Great Sphinx, in fact this story just isn't true.
For comparison, construction on Stonehenge is believed to started around 3100 B.C.E., while the famed Pyramids of Giza are thought to have been erected around 2600 B.C.E. at the earliest. That makes the roundel at least 1,000 years older than Stonehenge and several thousand years older than the pyramids.
Scriptures such as Psalm 118:22 may indeed reference them. Triangles, or pyramids, have long been associated with top-down government structure. To that end, there are biblical hints at future Jerusalem, as capital of the world, being described in such a manner.
Evidence suggests skilled laborers, not enslaved people, might have built the pyramids for a form of tax payment in Ancient Egypt. Recreating the Great Pyramids today is impossible due to the unique materials and construction methods used in ancient times.
