The Great Sphinx of Giza is a large half-human, half-lion Sphinx statue in Egypt, on the Giza Plateau at the west bank of the Nile River, near modern-day Cairo. It is one of the largest single-stone statues on Earth, and is commonly believed to have been built by ancient Egyptians in the 3rd millennium BC.A great symbol of Ancient Egypt is the Sphinx. A magnificent monument carved out of living rock, sits outstandingly in the Giza Plateau.
It is a carving of the body of a lion with a head of a king or god, symbolizing strength and wisdom. It is 200 feet long and 65 feet high with paws being 50 feet long.
The body of the sphinx was buried in the desert sand for thousands of years and only in 1905, about a century ago, the sands has been cleared away from it. Thus, the sphinx has several layers of erosions, those that are horizontal are due to sand and stone, while some are vertical due to water (probably rain) erosions.
It is believed that the sphinx was built by king Khafre (Chephren 2558-2532B.C.) who was one of he 4th Dynasty kings and whom the 2nd pyramid of Giza was built for him.
The sphinx faces due to the east, to the horizon and this has an astronomical belief to the ancient Egyptians. It is also thought that it is a guardian of the horizon for the later journey of the kings in the life-after. There is a large stela between the front paws of the sphinx. It was placed by king ThutmoseIV and describes the king during his hunting in the young days ,while falling asleep min the shade on the sphinx. During his sleep, he dreamt that the sphinx talked to him and told him to clear away the sand around his head and he will be rewarded by making him a pharaoh.
Description
The Great Sphinx is a statue with the face of a man and the body of a lion. Carved out of the surrounding limestone bedrock, it is 57 metres (185 feet) long, 6 m (20 ft) wide, and has a height of 20 m (65 ft), making it the largest single-stone statue in the world. Blocks of stone weighing upwards of 200 tons were quarried in the construction phase to build the adjoining Sphinx Temple. It is located on the west bank of the Nile River within the confines of the Giza pyramid field. The Great Sphinx faces due east, with a small temple between its paws.
The Sphinx against Khafre’s pyramid
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The Great Sphinx is a statue with the face of a man and the body of a lion. Carved out of the surrounding limestone bedrock, it is 57 metres (185 feet) long, 6 m (20 ft) wide, and has a height of 20 m (65 ft), making it the largest single-stone statue in the world. Blocks of stone weighing upwards of 200 tons were quarried in the construction phase to build the adjoining Sphinx Temple. It is located on the west bank of the Nile River within the confines of the Giza pyramid field. The Great Sphinx faces due east, with a small temple between its paws.
The Sphinx against Khafre’s pyramid
Have as a source from kingtutshop and Mausua'ah
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