Having heard the combination of the words “Ancient Egypt”, many will immediately imagine majestic pyramids and the large Sphinx - it is with them that a mysterious civilization separated from us by several thousand years 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. The sphinx with the face of the female pharaoh Hatshepsut is famous. Having received the throne and pushed aside the rightful heir, this powerful woman tried to rule like a man, even wearing 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 discovered near such structures. Thus, in the temple of the supreme deity, solar Amun, approximately 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. The material used for creation was limestone, which was quite abundant in the Country of the Pyramids.
Description
The ancient Egyptians depicted the Sphinx like this:
- The head of a person, most often a pharaoh.
- The body of a lion, one of the sacred animals of the hot country of Kemet.
But this appearance is not the only option for depicting a mythological creature. Modern finds prove that there were other species, for example with the head:
- ram (the so-called cryosphinxes, installed near the temple of Amon);
- Falcon (they were called hieracosphinxes and were 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 it is a statue with the body of a lion and the head of another creature (usually a person, a ram), which was installed in the immediate vicinity of 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, around 2700-2500. BC e. Interestingly, the first representative was female and depicted Queen Hethephera the Second. This statue has reached us; anyone can look at it in the Cairo Museum.
Everyone knows the Great Sphinx of Giza, which we will talk about 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 Avenue of the Sphinxes near the Temple of Amun in Luxor.
Greatest value
The most famous throughout the world, of course, is the Great Sphinx, which not only amazes with its enormous size, but also poses many mysteries to the scientific community.
The giant with a lion's body is located on the plateau at Giza (near the capital of the modern state, Cairo) and is part of a funerary complex that also includes three great pyramids. It was carved from a monolithic block and is the largest structure for which solid stone was used.
Even the age of this outstanding monument is controversial, 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 legend 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, which is where 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, are amazing: 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 surviving remains of paint: red, blue and yellow.
- The statue also had a beard, typical of the kings of Egypt. It has survived to this day, although separately from the sculpture - it is kept in the British Museum.
The giant found himself buried under the sand several times and was dug up. Perhaps it was the protection of the sand that helped the Sphinx survive the destructive influence of natural disasters.
Changes
Egyptian Sphinx managed to defeat time, but it affected the change in his appearance:
- Initially, the figure had a traditional pharaonic headdress, decorated with a sacred cobra, but it was completely destroyed.
- The statue also lost its false beard.
- Damage to the nose has already been mentioned. Some blame this on the shelling of Napoleon's army, others on the actions of Turkish soldiers. There is also a version that the protruding part was damaged by 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 yet been solved:
- Legend has it that there are three underground passages under the giant monument. 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. Thus, 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 thousand years ago, when a terrible flood hit Egypt.
- Perhaps the army of the French emperor is wrongly accused of causing damage to 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 was not yet born at that time.
- As you know, the Egyptians knew writing and documented in detail everything on papyri - from conquests and the construction of temples to the collection of taxes. However, not a single scroll was found that contained 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 works of Pliny the Elder, which talks about the work of excavating the sculpture 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 was and what role it played in the worldview of the ancient Egyptian. They tried to dig out the huge figure from the sand and partially restore it even under the pharaohs. It is known that similar work was carried out during the time of Thutmose IV. A granite stele has been preserved (the so-called “Dream Stele”), which tells that one day the pharaoh had a dream in which the god Ra ordered him to cleanse the statue of sand, in return promising power over the entire state.
Later, the conqueror Ramses II ordered the excavation of the Egyptian Sphinx. Then attempts were made in the early 19th and 20th centuries.
Now let's see how our contemporaries are trying to preserve this cultural heritage. The figure was carefully analyzed, all the 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 riddles. Many of them have not yet been solved by scientists, so amazing figure with the body of a lion and the face of a man continues to attract attention.
Each civilization has its own symbols, which are considered integral parts of the people, their culture and history. The Sphinx of Ancient Egypt is an immortal proof of the power, strength and greatness of the country, a silent reminder of the divine origin of its rulers, who have sunk into the centuries, but left on earth the image of eternal life. The national symbol of Egypt is considered one of the greatest architectural monuments of the past, which still inspires involuntary fear with its impressiveness, an aura of secrets, mystical legends and centuries-old history.
Monument in numbers
The Egyptian Sphinx is known to each and every inhabitant on earth. The monument is carved from a monolithic rock, has the body of a lion and the head of a man (according to some sources - a pharaoh). The length of the statue is 73 m, height - 20 m. The symbol of the power of royal power is located on the Giza plateau on the western coast of the Nile River and is surrounded by a wide and fairly deep ditch. The Sphinx's thoughtful gaze is directed to the east, towards the point in the heavens where the Sun rises. The monument was covered by sand many times and was restored more than once. The statue was completely cleared of sand only in 1925, striking the imagination of the inhabitants of the planet with its scale and size.
History of the statue: facts versus legends
In Egypt, the Sphinx is considered the most mysterious and mystical monument. Its history has aroused great interest for many years and special attention historians, writers, directors and researchers. Everyone who has had the chance to touch eternity, which the statue represents, offers their own version of its origin. Local residents call the stone landmark the “father of horror” due to the fact that the Sphinx is the keeper of many mysterious legends and a favorite place for tourists - lovers of mysteries and fantasy. According to researchers, the history of the Sphinx goes back more than 13 centuries. Presumably, it was built in order to record an astronomical phenomenon - the reunion of three planets.
Origin myth
There is still no reliable information about what this statue symbolizes, why it was built and when. The lack of history is replaced by legends that are passed down orally and told to tourists. The fact that the Sphinx is the oldest and largest monument in Egypt gives rise to mysterious and absurd stories about it. There is an assumption that the statue guards the tombstones of the greatest pharaohs - the pyramids of Cheops, Mikerin and Khafre. Another legend says that the stone statue symbolizes the personality of Pharaoh Khafre, the third - that it is a statue of the god Horus (god of the sky, half-man, half-falcon), watching the ascent of his father, the Sun God Ra.
Legends
In ancient times Greek mythology The Sphinx is mentioned as an ugly monster. According to the Greeks, the legends of Ancient Egypt about this monster sound like this: a creature with the body of a lion and the head of a man was born by Echidna and Typhon (a half-snake woman and a giant with a hundred dragon heads). It had the face and breasts of a woman, the body of a lion and the wings of a bird. The monster lived near Thebes, lay in wait for people and asked them a strange question: “Which living creature moves on four legs in the morning, on two in the afternoon, and on three in the evening?” None of the wanderers trembling with fear could give the Sphinx an intelligible answer. After which the monster sentenced them to death. However, the day came when the wise Oedipus was able to solve his riddle. “This is a person in childhood, maturity and old age,” he answered. After this, the crushed monster rushed from the top of the mountain and crashed against the rocks.
According to the second version of the legend, in Egypt the Sphinx was once a God. One day, the heavenly ruler fell into an insidious trap of the sands, called the “cage of oblivion,” and fell asleep in an eternal sleep.
Real facts
Despite the mysterious overtones of the legends, the real story is no less mystical and mysterious. According to the initial opinion of scientists, the Sphinx was built at the same time as the pyramids. However, in the ancient papyri, from which information about the construction of the pyramids was gleaned, there is not a single mention of a stone statue. The names of the architects and builders who created the grandiose tombs for the pharaohs are known, but the name of the person who gave the world the Sphinx of Egypt still remains unknown.
True, several centuries after the creation of the pyramids, the first facts about the statue appeared. The Egyptians call her “shepes ankh” - “living image”. Scientists were unable to give the world any more information or scientific explanation of these words.
But at the same time, the cult image of the mysterious Sphinx - a winged maiden-monster - is mentioned in Greek mythology, numerous fairy tales and legends. The hero of these tales, depending on the author, periodically changes his appearance, appearing in some versions as a half-man, half-lion, and in others as a winged lioness.
The story of the Sphinx
Another puzzle for scientists was the chronicle of Herodotus, who in 445 BC. described in great detail the process of building the pyramids. He told the world interesting stories about how the structures were erected, over what period of time and how many slaves were involved in their construction. The narrative of the “father of history” even touched upon such nuances as the feeding of slaves. But, oddly enough, Herodotus never mentioned the stone Sphinx in his work. The fact of the construction of the monument was also not found in any of the subsequent records.
He helped shed light on the work of the Roman writer Pliny the Elder, “Natural History,” to scientists. In his notes, he talks about the next cleansing of sand from the monument. Based on this, it becomes clear why Herodotus did not leave the world a description of the Sphinx - the monument at that time was buried under a layer of sand. So how many times has he found himself trapped in the sand?
First "restoration"
Judging by the inscription left on the stone stele between the monster’s paws, Pharaoh Thutmose I spent a year liberating the monument. Ancient writings say that, as a prince, Thutmose fell asleep at the foot of the Sphinx and had a dream in which the god Harmakis appeared to him. He predicted the prince's ascension to the throne of Egypt and ordered the release of the statue from the sand trap. After some time, Thutmose successfully became pharaoh and remembered his promise to the deity. He ordered not only to dig up the giant, but also to restore it. Thus, the first revival of the Egyptian legend occurred in the 15th century. BC It was then that the world learned about the grandiose structure and unique cult monument of Egypt.
It is known for certain that after the revival of the Sphinx by Pharaoh Thutmose, it was once again dug up during the reign of the Ptolemaic dynasty, under the Roman emperors who captured Ancient Egypt, and the Arab rulers. In our time, it was again liberated from the sands in 1925. To this day, the statue has to be cleaned after sandstorms, as it is an important tourist site.
Why is the monument missing a nose?
Despite the antiquity of the sculpture, it has practically been preserved in its original form, embodying the Sphinx. Egypt (photo of the monument is presented above) managed to preserve its architectural masterpiece, but failed to protect it from the barbarity of people. The statue does not currently have a nose. Scientists suggest that one of the pharaohs, for a reason unknown to science, ordered the nose of the statue to be knocked off. According to other sources, the monument was damaged by Napoleon's army by firing a cannon at its face. The British chopped off the monster’s beard and transported it to their museum.
However, the later discovered notes of the historian Al-Makrizi dated 1378 say that the stone statue no longer had a nose. According to him, one of the Arabs, wanting to atone for religious sins (the Koran prohibited the depiction of human faces), broke off the giant’s nose. In response to such an atrocity and desecration of the Sphinx, the sands began to take revenge on the people, advancing on the lands of Giza.
As a result, scientists came to the conclusion that in Egypt the Sphinx lost its nose as a result of strong winds and floods. Although this assumption has not yet found real confirmation.
The Stunning Secrets of the Sphinx
In 1988, as a result of exposure to acrid factory smoke, a significant part of the stone block (350 kg) broke off from the monument. UNESCO, concerned about the appearance and condition of the tourist and cultural site, resumed repairs, thereby opening the way for new research. As a result of a careful study of the stone blocks of the pyramid of Cheops and the Sphinx by Japanese archaeologists, a hypothesis was put forward that the monument was built much earlier than the great tomb of the pharaoh. The finding was a stunning discovery for historians, who had assumed that the pyramid, Sphinx and other funerary structures were contemporary. The second, no less surprising discovery was a long narrow tunnel discovered under the left paw of the predator, connected to the Cheops pyramid.
After Japanese archaeologists, hydrologists took up the most ancient monument. They found traces of erosion on his body from a large water flow, which moved from north to south. After a series of studies, hydrologists came to the conclusion that the stone lion was a silent witness to the Nile flood - a biblical catastrophe that occurred about 8-12 thousand years ago. American researcher John Anthony West explained the signs of water erosion on the lion's body and their absence on the head as evidence that the Sphinx existed during the Ice Age and dates back to any period before 15 thousand BC. e. According to French archaeologists, the history of Ancient Egypt can boast of the oldest monument that existed even at the time of the destruction of Atlantis.
Thus, the stone statue tells us about the existence of the greatest civilization, which managed to erect such a majestic structure, which became an immortal image of the Past.
Ancient Egyptians' worship of the Sphinx
The pharaohs of Egypt regularly made pilgrimages to the foot of the giant, which symbolized the great past of their country. They made sacrifices on the altar, which was located between his paws, burned incense, receiving from the giant a silent blessing for the kingdom and throne. The Sphinx was for them not only the embodiment of the Sun God, but also a sacred image that granted them hereditary and legal power from their ancestors. He personified powerful Egypt, the history of the country was reflected in his majestic appearance, embodying each image of the new pharaoh and turning modernity into a component of eternity. Ancient writings glorified the Sphinx as a great creator god. His image reunited the past, present and future.
Astronomical explanation of the stone sculpture
By official version The Sphinx would have been built in 2500 BC. e. by order of Pharaoh Khafre during the reign of the Fourth Ruling dynasty pharaohs. The huge lion is located among other majestic structures on the stone plateau of Giza - three pyramids.
Astronomical studies have shown that the location of the statue was chosen not by blind inspiration, but in accordance with the point of intersection of the path of the celestial bodies. It served as an equatorial point indicating the exact location on the horizon of the sunrise site on the day of the vernal equinox. According to astronomers, the Sphinx was built 10.5 thousand years ago.
It is noteworthy that the pyramids of Giza are located on the ground in exactly the same order as the three stars in the sky that year. According to legend, the Sphinx and the pyramids recorded the position of the stars, the astronomical time, which was called the first. Since the celestial personification of the ruler at that time was Orion, man-made structures were built to depict the stars of his belt in order to perpetuate and record the time of his power.
The Great Sphinx as a tourist attraction
Currently, a giant lion with a human head attracts millions of tourists eager to see with their own eyes the legendary stone sculpture, shrouded in the darkness of centuries-old history and many mystical legends. The interest of all mankind in it is due to the fact that the secret of the creation of the statue remained unsolved, buried under the sands. It's hard to imagine how many secrets the Sphinx holds. Egypt (photos of the monument and pyramids can be seen on any travel portal) can be proud of its great history, outstanding people, grandiose monuments, the truth about which their creators took with them to the kingdom of Anubis - the god of death.
The huge stone Sphinx is great and impressive, the history of which remains unsolved and full of secrets. The statue’s calm gaze is still directed into the distance and its appearance is still imperturbable. For how many centuries has he been a silent witness to human suffering, the vanity of rulers, the sorrows and troubles that befell the Egyptian land? How many secrets does the Great Sphinx keep? Unfortunately, no answers have been found to all these questions over the years.
Sphinxes do not walk on their own. One can even assume that these unique animals do not consider themselves cats because they do not react to their brothers of other breeds. About the history of the origin of the Sphinx breed, as well as the features of the appearance and character of their subspecies.
Origin
Sphinxes are a discovery of the 20th century, although there are suggestions that the Aztecs had hairless cats, but they became extinct. Over the past 100 years, hairless cat breeds have continually come and gone. They tried to treat kittens born naked for lichen.
And then one day in Canada, in the 60s, a naked kitten was born from a domestic cat, which was bought by a scientist from Toronto, wanting to study the hairlessness gene. The information he obtained was successfully used in breeding hairless cats, but the Sphynx breed did not immediately receive recognition and permission to participate in exhibitions.
In the 70s, breeders again began breeding Sphynxes. Cats born naked were crossed with Siamese cats, Devon Rex cats and ordinary mongrels. Finally, in 1985, Sphynx cats were recognized as a separate breed.
Over time, hairless cats became very popular. In 1997, they even served as models for the cover of the new album of the rock band Aerosmith, and the Sphynx cat also starred in the film “Austin Powers.”
Appearance
The appearance of sphinxes is truly amazing and unusual, so much so that some people do not mistake them for cats. These are not hairless cats, as some may call them. There is still hair on the body of sphinxes, but it is very short and feels like suede.
The Sphynx is a very warm and soft cat. More abundant hair, but still short, may be present on the paws, ears, tail and scrotum.
Why sphinxes are born hairless remains a mystery. There is an assumption that the absence of hair is caused by single natural mutations, which were supported by breeders by crossing hairless cats with short-haired ones. Over time, the mutation was fixed.
Although sphinxes do not have a soft cat's fur coat, their body color is very diverse: there are both spotted and solid-colored sphinxes different shades.
In addition to the absence of a fluffy coat, alien cats are also distinguished by large expressive ears and rather abundant folding of the skin. The main number of folds occurs on the head, and no other cat has such folded skin.
The name “Sphynx” is a collective name for three breeds of hairless cats: Canadian, Don and Peterbald, or St. Petersburg Sphynx. The Canadian Sphynx is the oldest of them. Each breed has its own characteristics.
Canadian Sphynx
This is the most hairless of all hairless ones: while the Don and St. Petersburg Sphynxes may have short, velvety fur, the Canadian Sphynx does not. His skin feels like peach skin, despite his many wrinkles.
The Canadian Sphynx is of medium size and weight, with large ears. The hind legs are slightly longer than the front legs. The eyes are large and wide open.
He has a sweet personality, is intelligent and has a deep, insightful gaze. It becomes strongly attached to its owner, whom he determines himself. In the house he becomes a full-fledged member of the family.
The Canadian Sphynx has a stable psyche, he is not afraid of dogs and gets along calmly with other animals.
Don Sphynx
It was bred in Russia in Rostov-on-Don, which is how the breed got its name. Donchak are the largest and most powerful among the sphinxes, they have strong bones and short legs. The ears stick straight up. The eyes are narrow, almond-shaped.
The Don Sphynx's mustache is curly or absent altogether. Thick, delicate hair may grow at the tip of the tail. In winter, slight pubescence of the entire body is possible.
His characteristics are silence and touchiness, but not rancor. The owner must be tactful and attentive with the Don Sphynx, for which the cat will repay with loyalty. Avoids children who are too noisy and annoying.
Peretbold
Appeared as the last of the three breeds of sphinxes based on the Don Sphynx. In Europe, the St. Petersburg Sphynx was recognized as a separate breed only in 2003.
Characterized by elegance and a light, flexible, narrow physique, he has long tail, paws and fingers. Ears point to the sides. Eye color is limited - green or blue. Any coat color can be found. The head resembles the head of a snake and is set on a long neck.
Loves to “talk”, communication with people is the most important part of a Peterbald’s life. He really needs affection, gentle touches and words. He loves everyone in the family equally, and is patient even with very active children.
For many millennia, the Egyptian Sphinx has been guarding the tombs of the pharaohs - and some even claim that it appeared long before the construction of the most luxurious tombs of the ancient world and survived the global flood. This amazing beast cares not only about the safety of the deceased pharaohs: after all, in reality he is alive, he is a demigod, he is a guardian of order.
Therefore, the sphinx does not always sit in its place: if it is not satisfied with the way people behave (wars, strife, robberies, passion for foreign gods), it jumps off the pedestal and runs away into the desert. And there, buried deep in the sand, it disappears from sight for a long time.
The Great Sphinx is located on the territory of Egypt, in the suburbs of Cairo, on the Giza plateau, which is located on the western coast of the Nile - and tirelessly looks towards where the daylight rises on the day of the summer or winter equinox. He is so old that he is the oldest statue of our planet that has been able to survive to this day - and it is interesting that ancient masters carved him out of limestone rock, depicting him in enormous sizes mythical creature, a lion with a human face.
The Great Sphinx looks like this:
- Height – 20 m, length – 73 m, shoulder width – 11.5 m and face width – 4.1 m, and height – 5 m;
- Between the paws of the ancient statue is a stele erected by Pharaoh Thutmose IV, who ruled in the 14th century. BC;
- The Great Sphinx is surrounded by a wide moat - 5.5 m, the depth of which is 2.5 m;
- Near the oldest statue in the world there are three Egyptian pyramids, the tombs of the pharaohs Hebren, Cheops and Mycerne.
Unfortunately, the past millennia have had a negative impact on the statue. The headdress, imitating a cobra rising to the face, disappeared forever, and the festive scarf, falling onto the shoulders from the head, was broken off. From the ceremonial beard of the demigod, only fragments have survived, which can now be seen in museums in Britain and Cairo. When exactly the Sphinx's beard appeared, scientists still have not decided - some claim that it was created already during the New Kingdom, others that it was made at the same time as the head.
The nose was severely damaged, the width of which in former times was 1.5 m (most likely, therefore, one of the rulers decided to fulfill the covenant of Muhammad, which did not allow the depiction of a human face, and ordered it to be knocked down).
Purpose of the Sphinx
The mystery of the Sphinx surrounds everything - and one of its mysteries is why exactly ancient people needed to create such a sculpture.
Many Egyptologists agree that the huge sculpture was dedicated to the Nile and to the rising sun(the gaze of the mythical creature is not in vain directed to the east). They draw attention to the fact that in almost all civilizations of the ancient East the lion symbolized the Sun, therefore the Egyptians, who considered him the incarnation of God, often depicted their pharaoh in the form of this beast, dealing with his enemies. There is a high probability that the purpose of the Sphinx was to guard the eternal sleep of the deceased pharaohs.
There are versions that say that in reality the Sphinx statue is a collective image that symbolized the four seasons and pointed the ancient people to the day of the spring equinox. For example, according to this theory, the lion’s body symbolized the spring day, and the wings invisible to our eyes symbolized the autumn equinox, and the demigod’s paws symbolized the summer solstice, and his face the winter solstice.
Secrets of the ancient world
The mystery of the Sphinx has haunted people for many millennia - when it was built, who built it, why it was built. Even the face of this amazing monument leaves more questions than answers.
Riddle No. 1 The face of a mythical beast
Despite the fact that many Egyptologists still agree that the face of the Sphinx is the face of Pharaoh Hebren (2574-2465 BC), this hypothesis is not final, and many researchers dispute it, therefore, apparently, the answer to The question: exactly whose face this mystical creature wears will most likely remain unsolved for quite some time.
What confuses Egyptologists is that the face has Negroid features, completely unlike the surviving images of Hebren, whom the statue supposedly depicted, and even his relatives. Experts, having compared the face of the Sphinx with the statues of this pharaoh, made a clear conclusion that they belong to two completely different people.
Some researchers put forward another interesting theory, saying that the face of this amazing creature combines the images of the pharaohs, the baboon (the monkey of the god of wisdom and knowledge Thoth) and the god of the Sun - Horus.
Many researchers also put forward more non-standard versions. For example, geologist Robert Schoch, whose hypothesis did not find recognition among his colleagues, put forth the idea that at first the monument had the face of a lion, instead of which later some Egyptian ruler ordered his face to be knocked out.
Riddle No. 2. When was the Sphinx created?
One of the reasons why Egyptologists could not determine exactly when the representatives of the ancient people created the Great Sphinx is that they carved it into limestone rock, the age of which is much older than the statue itself.
The official version of scientists so far says that since the statue depicts Pharaoh Hebren, the time of its creation also dates back to this period, that is, it was created during the reign of the IV dynasty (approximately 2.5 thousand years BC). They focus on the fact that it was at this time that the ancient Egyptian civilization reached its greatest prosperity, and therefore the statue could not have been created either before or after it, since Egyptians of other eras simply would not have been able to cope with such work.
It’s not so simple: this theory is being questioned by an increasing number of scientists, which is why recently the riddle of the Sphinx has become more intriguing than before.
Please note that the base of the statue was clearly subject to erosion, which was caused by the monument's prolonged exposure to water. Studies by hydrologists have shown that there was an extremely large amount of water around the Egyptian Sphinx - and the Nile flowing nearby had absolutely nothing to do with it, because the huge flow of water that caused the erosion came from the north, and this happened approximately in the 8th millennium BC. e.
Another group of British researchers came to even bolder results: according to their version, a natural disaster swept here in the twelfth millennium BC, which is consistent with the date of the global flood, which occurred between the 8th-10th millennium BC.
The official version explains the presence of cracks and erosion due to the influence environment(acid rain, low quality limestone rocks). Another explanation suggests that the Giza plateau was previously extremely revered by the ancient Egyptians, who kept it clean and cleared of sand, and therefore heavy rains could easily damage the statue, collecting in huge puddles near the monument.
Recently, the Egyptian Sphinx posed another riddle regarding its age - a group of Japanese scientists used an echolocator to illuminate the nearby Sphinx pyramids and discovered that the stones of the rock from which the Great Sphinx was knocked out were processed much earlier than the blocks of the Cheops pyramid were hewn.
Riddle No. 3. Mysterious room
Japanese researchers suddenly faced another mystery of the Sphinx: their equipment discovered a small rectangular room (it was located under the lion’s left paw) - the entrance to a rather narrow tunnel located at a depth of two meters, which slopes down towards the pyramid of Khafre, and therefore , where exactly it leads, it has not yet been possible to trace, especially since the Egyptians did not allow the Japanese to study it in more detail (perhaps fearing that the researchers would damage the statue).
Riddle No. 4 Where did the Sphinx go?
Herodotus, having visited Egypt in 445 BC, writing about the trip in Histories, did not mention this unique statue at all - and this despite the fact that in the chronicle he even told such details from the life of the pyramids as how many slaves worked on construction sites and what they were fed with.
But the Sphinx in Egypt was not mentioned by him. This can only be for one reason - at that time the giant lion was not in place: the desert did its job and completely covered the statue with sand (at the same time, the sculpture spent so long under it that information about it did not even reach Herodotus). The Egyptians The famous statue was dug up more than once. Local residents looked after the statue because it was a talisman for them, on which the level of the Nile flood depended, and therefore the harvest and prosperity.
Then it apparently lost its primary importance and for some reason the local residents stopped carefully clearing the area around it of sand - and the sand gradually completely covered it. The Egyptian rulers came to their senses and ordered the statue to be cleared of debris: this was done repeatedly by the pharaohs, then by the Greek kings, the emperors of Rome, and the Arab rulers.
It was not possible to restore it to its original form and completely excavate it - and therefore only the head often rose above the sand. Thutmose IV in the 14th century. BC He managed to free the lion's front paws, after which he installed a granite stele with an inscription between them.
The desert did not calm down, and only in the last two centuries the sculpture was dug up three times and significant results were achieved: in 1817, Italian archaeologists managed to clear the chest of the statue from sand, and it was completely freed from drifts only in 1925.
The cleanup work did not stop there and continued. And for good reason: one of the bulldozers between the Sphinx and the Pyramid of Hebren accidentally stumbled upon the remains of a settlement ancient egypt, which turned out to be much older than the Egyptian pyramids (people lived here even before the appearance of the pharaohs).
Sphinx in our time
The Sphinx was recently restored - after scanning the lion with ultrasonic emitters, scientists discovered dangerous cracks that urgently needed to be dealt with. And the condition of the paws also inspired concern. Therefore, it was decided to close the monument, and tourists were prohibited from approaching it.
The Egyptians restored the statue at their own expense and, with their own efforts, the cracks were filled with the latest synthetic solutions, the pedestal was strengthened, and previously fallen pieces of the Sphinx were found and attached in place. They even demanded (so far, to no avail) that the British return fragments of the beard in order to reattach it in place.
And at the end of 2014, after restoration, the Great Sphinx became accessible to tourists, and for the first time in many years, people had the opportunity to approach the most ancient monument of our planet at arm’s length.
Great Sphinx (Egypt) - description, history, location. Exact address, phone number, website. Tourist reviews, photos and videos.
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One of the most ancient sculptures in the world, without a doubt, can be called the statue of the Sphinx. In addition, this is also one of the most mysterious sculptures, because the mystery of the Sphinx has not yet been fully solved. The Sphinx is a creature with the head of a woman, 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 unclear why the statue is now missing a nose.
The statue, made of limestone rock, 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 is controversial among scientists. The exact date of origin of this sculpture is still unknown and it is completely unclear why the statue is now missing a nose. The meaning of the word is also unknown: translated from Greek, “sphinx” means “strangler,” but what the ancient Egyptians meant in this name remains a mystery.
It was customary to depict Egyptian pharaohs as a formidable lion who would not spare a single enemy. That is why it is believed that the Sphinx guards the peace of the buried pharaohs. The author of the sculpture is unknown, but many researchers believe that it is Khafre. True, this judgment is very controversial. Supporters of the theory refer to the fact that the stones of the sculpture and the nearby pyramid of Khafre 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, this detail once existed, but the reason for its disappearance is still unknown. Perhaps the nose was lost during the battle of Napoleon's troops with the Turks in 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 prohibit the depiction of a human face.
The Sphinx not only lacks a nose, but also a false ceremonial beard. Her story is also controversial 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. For example, Japanese archaeologists came to the conclusion that the Sphinx was built before the pyramids. In addition, they discovered a tunnel under the left paw of the statue leading towards the Pyramid of Khafre. Interestingly, this tunnel was first mentioned by Soviet researchers.
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 ancient times by Thutmose IV and Ramses II. True, they did not achieve much success. Only in 1817 was the Sphinx's chest freed, and more than 100 years later the statue was completely excavated.
Address: Nazlet El-Semman, Al Haram, Giza
