The Great Sphinx located in Giza, Egypt is widely recognized as the largest and most renowned sphinx globally. Positioned to the southeast of the Giza pyramids, this colossal structure’s age has remained a topic of debate among Egyptologists to date.
The origins of the Great Sphinx of Giza continue to baffle researchers and historians. While some speculate that it was constructed by the pharaoh Khafre around 2600 to 2500 BCE, others believe it predates his reign by several millennia and was built between 10,000 and 5,000 BCE. Despite ongoing efforts by archaeologists, the mysteries surrounding this ancient monument remain unresolved, with new discoveries adding to its enigmatic past as more historical secrets are uncovered beneath the sands of the Giza Plateau.
The Sphinx, an ancient Egyptian structure that has always fascinated historians and archaeologists, could hold the key to a lost city that could change the course of history. A dig that began in 1935 led to the discovery of the “Secret Metropolis,” a city thought to be 4,000 years old. However, the focus of Egyptologists at the time was on tombs and graves from the 24th Dynasty, which lasted from 732 BC to 716 BC, and so the discovery of the underground city did not receive much attention. The chambers beneath the Sphinx were believed to be either closed or filled with water, which prevented further exploration.
Interestingly, there is a hole in the head of the Sphinx that was first noticed in 1798. In 1920, a photograph from a hot air balloon confirmed the size of the opening. The body and the head of the Sphinx appear to be made of different materials, with erosion making it difficult to determine the exact composition. The torso is brighter than the head, which has smooth edges. It is intriguing to think about what other mysteries the Sphinx might hold, waiting to be uncovered.
The book called “Revelation” delves into the mystery of what lies hidden beneath the Sphinx and the secrets it holds. A team of modern Egyptologists has been tasked with uncovering its secrets, but some scientists are tight-lipped about their findings. According to Zahi Hawass, an authority on Egypt’s past, there is nothing remarkable to unearth in the vicinity of the Sphinx. However, several experts beg to differ and claim that he is trying to preserve the conventional narrative of ancient Egyptian history despite mounting evidence to the contrary.
The Giza Sphinx – An Enormous Limestone Statue
Located adjacent to the Great Pyramid in Giza, Egypt, the Great Sphinx of Giza is a magnificent limestone statue that has been standing tall for 4,500 years. With a length of 240 feet (73 meters) and a height of 66 feet (20 meters), it is ranked amongst the world’s biggest monuments. Even though it’s origins and history still remain a topic of discussion, it is undoubtedly one of the most popular pieces of ancient Egyptian history.
Have you ever heard of Sphinxes? These legendary creatures have the body of a lion and the head of a human. They hold great significance in Egyptian, Asian, and Greek mythology. In ancient Egypt, the Sphinx was revered as a spiritual guardian and was often depicted as a man wearing a pharaoh’s headdress, just like the Great Sphinx. These creatures were commonly found in tomb and temple complexes, such as the two-mile-long Sphinx Alley in Upper Egypt that connects the Luxor and Karnak temples. You might also come across Sphinxes that resemble the female pharaoh Hatshepsut, like the ones made of granite at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York or the alabaster one at the Ramessid temple in Memphis, Egypt.