Great Sphinx of Giza

The Great Sphinx of Giza is a large statue carved from a piece of limestone in the Egyptian desert thousands of years ago. The statue depicts a creature with the body of a lion and the head of a man. At 240 feet (73 meters) long and 66 feet (20 meters) high, the Sphinx is one of the largest sculptures in the world and an iconic symbol of ancient Egypt. Despite its fame, the statue remains a mystery to modern archaeologists who are unsure of its exact origins and purpose. The prevailing theory is that the Sphinx was created about 4,500 years ago and may have represented one of the builders of the pyramids of Giza. This theory is supported by the statue’s location near the pyramids and the possible resemblance of the Sphinx’s face to images of one of the kings. However, that conclusion is debated by some experts who believe the Sphinx may have been built by other rulers or may even have been constructed thousands of years earlier.

Background

The earliest traces of human settlements in Egypt date to about 6000 BCE, though it would not be until about 3150 BCE that the Egyptian civilization first developed. At that time, Egypt was divided into two kingdoms and was united by a ruler known as Narmer. Narmer was said to have established the first Egyptian capital at Memphis, a now-ruined city near modern-day Cairo. The first several centuries of Egypt’s history is known as the Early Dynastic Period, which lasted from about 3150–2613 BCE.

This period gave way to what archaeologists call the Old Kingdom, an era that spanned the third through the sixth dynasties from about 2613–2181 BCE. During this period, the Egyptians began building the first massive stone pyramids as burial sites for their deceased kings. The first large stone pyramid was built at Saqqara, Egypt, to honor King Djoser who lived about 2670 BCE. The most well-known Egyptian monuments, the great pyramids, were built a little more than a century later on the plateau of Giza, just outside of modern-day Cairo.

Construction on the largest pyramid, known as the Great Pyramid of Giza, began about 2560 BCE in honor of King Khufu, who reigned until about 2566 BCE. Khufu was succeeded by his son Djedefre, who ruled only eight years before he died about 2558 BCE. Upon his death, his brother Khafre took the throne. Khafre reigned from about 2558–2532 BCE and built the second of the three pyramids at Giza. His burial monument was ten feet shorter than that of his father, but was built upon higher ground to appear larger. The third pyramid was constructed by Khafre’s son and successor Menkaure, who died about 2503 BCE.

Overview

Most archaeologists believe the Great Sphinx of Giza was built by King Khafre because it is part of the burial complex that includes his pyramid. Other supporting evidence includes a life-size statue of Khafre found in a temple near the Sphinx that bears a resemblance to the human face on the giant monument. A ceremonial pathway from the temple also leads to another temple near Khafre’s pyramid, further suggesting a connection. However, some archaeologists question that evidence, claiming the face on the Sphinx is actually that of Khufu, or possibly of Djedefre. Still, other theories suggest the Sphinx may have been constructed seven centuries later because the design on the statue’s headdress is said to resemble that of King Amenemhat II who died about 1895 BCE. One theory, based on erosion patterns on the stone, claims the statue was built before 7000 BCE, though this idea is dismissed by most experts.

The name Sphinx is a bit misleading. The Egyptians never referred to the creature by that name. The statue was not called the Sphinx until the Greeks gave it that title an estimated two thousand years after it was built. The Greeks possibly noted the creature’s resemblance to their mythological sphinx, which had the body of a lion, the head of a woman, and the wings of an eagle. Some Egyptian writings refer to the statue as Hor-Em-Akhet, or “Horus of the Horizon,” a reference to the sky god.

The Sphinx was carved from a single large block of limestone from the same quarry that provided the stones for the pyramids. Archaeologists estimate that it would have taken a team of about one hundred workers using copper chisels and hammers about three years to carve the statue. Studies from the 2020s suggest that wind erosion may have also helped shape the Sphinx. The statue is positioned to face the rising sun in the east, a position that likely symbolized the king’s connection to the sun god. From flecks of paint found on the statue, archaeologists have concluded that the head and face of the Sphinx were once painted red, its headdress was yellow, and its beard was blue. The modern statue is missing a ceremonial cobra symbol that once adorned its headdress, its beard, and its nose. Fragments of the beard are today preserved in the British Museum in London. However, the Sphinx’s nose was destroyed centuries ago. According to the most likely theory, the nose was destroyed during the fourteenth century by a Muslim holy man who viewed the statue as an affront to Islam.

Because limestone is a relatively soft substance, the Sphinx likely would have fallen victim to the elements if it had not spent most of the last few thousand years under the shifting desert sands. More than a thousand years after the reign of Khafre, the statue was mostly forgotten and covered in sand. According to legend, Thutmose IV, who died about 1391 BCE, had a dream that the statue spoke to him and said it was being choked by the sand. The Sphinx promised Thutmose it would help him become king if he cleared the sand and restored the statue. Thutmose did as he was asked and later, when he did become king, he publicly worshiped the Sphinx and initiated a cult in its honor.

When European explorers encountered the Sphinx in the early nineteenth century, the statue was once again covered by sand. Excavation of the statue began in the nineteenth century, but was not fully completed until about 1936. Since then, the Sphinx has faced a renewed threat from the elements as well as smog from nearby Cairo. Some attempts at restoring the monument in the 1980s actually caused the statue more harm. Modern restoration efforts are overseen by the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities.

Bibliography

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