Another proof was presented to us by the Japanese scientist Sakuji Yoshimura in 1988. He was able to determine that the stone from which the Sphinx was carved was older than the blocks of the pyramids. He used echolocation. Nobody took him seriously. Indeed, it is impossible to determine the age of a rock by echolocation.
The only serious evidence of the “theory of the antiquity of the Sphinx” is the “Inventory Stele”. This monument was found in 1857 by Auguste Mariet, the founder of the Cairo Museum (pictured left).
On this stele there is an inscription that Pharaoh Cheops (Khufu) found the Sphinx statue already buried in the sand. But this stele was created during the 26th dynasty, that is, 2000 years after the life of Cheops. Don't trust this source too much.
One thing we can say for sure is that the Sphinx has the head and face of a pharaoh. This is evidenced by the nemes (or claft) headdress (see photo) and the decorative element uraeus (see photo) on the forehead of the sculpture. These attributes could only be worn by the pharaoh of Upper and Lower Egypt. If the statue's nose had been preserved, we would have been closer to the answer.
By the way, where is the nose?
The dominant version in the public consciousness is that the nose was knocked off by the French in 1798-1800. Napoleon then conquered Egypt, and his gunners practiced shooting at the Great Sphinx.
This is not even a version, but a “fable”. In 1757, traveler Frederik Louis Norden from Denmark published sketches he made in Giza, and the nose was no longer there. At the time of publication, Napoleon had not even been born. You can see the sketch in the photo on the right; there really is no nose.
The reasons for the accusations against Napoleon are clear. The attitude towards him in Europe was very negative, he was often called a “monster”. As soon as there was a reason to accuse someone of damaging the historical heritage of mankind, of course, he was chosen as the “scapegoat”.
As soon as the version about Napoleon began to be actively refuted, a second, similar version arose. It says that the Mamluks fired cannons at the Great Sphinx. We cannot explain why public opinion is so drawn to hypotheses involving guns? It’s worth asking sociologists and psychoanalysts about this. This version also has not received confirmation.
A proven version of the loss of the nose was expressed in the work of the Arab historian al-Makrizi. He writes that in 1378 the nose of the statue was knocked off by a religious fanatic. He was outraged that the inhabitants of the Nile Valley worshiped the statue and brought gifts to it. We even know the name of this iconoclast - Muhammad Saim al-Dakhr.
Nowadays, scientists have conducted research in the area of the Sphinx's nose and found traces of a chisel, that is, the nose was broken off with this very tool. There are two such marks in total - one chisel was driven under the nostril, and the second from above.
These traces are small and a tourist cannot notice them. However, you can try to imagine how this fanatic could do it. Apparently, he was lowered down on a rope. The Sphinx lost his nose, and Saim al-Dakhr lost his life; he was torn to pieces by the crowd.
From this story we can conclude that the Sphinx was still an object of cult and worship by the Egyptians in the 14th century, although almost 750 years had already passed since the beginning of Arab rule.
There is another version of the statue’s loss of its nose – natural causes. Erosion destroys the statue and even part of its head falls off. It was installed back during the last restoration. And this statue had many restorations.
Let's try to understand the purpose of its creation and the methods of its construction. Let's find out what they say in the scientific world about the age of the Sphinx. What does it hide inside and what role does it play in relation to the pyramids? Let's weed out fiction and assumptions, leaving only scientifically proven facts.
Brief description of the Sphinx in Egypt
Sphinx and 50 jets
The Sphinx in Egypt is the largest surviving sculpture from antiquity. The length of the body is 3 compartment cars (73.5 m), and the height is a 6-story building (20 m). The bus is smaller than one front paw. And the weight of 50 jet airliners is equal to the weight of a giant.
The blocks from which the paws are made were added during the New Kingdom period to restore the original appearance. The sacred Cobra, nose and ritual beard - symbols of the power of the pharaohs - are missing. Fragments of the latter are on display in the British Museum.
Remnants of the original dark red paint can be seen near the ear.
What could the strange proportions mean?
One of the main abnormalities of the figure is the disproportion of the head and torso. It appears that the upper part was rebuilt several times by subsequent rulers. There are opinions that at first the head of the idol was either a ram or a falcon and later turned into a human form. Restorations and renovations over many thousands of years could have reduced the head or enlarged the torso.
Where is the Sphinx?
The monument is located in the necropolis of Memphis next to the pyramidal structures of Khufu (Cheops), Khafre (Chephren) and Menkaure (Mycerinus) about 10 km from Cairo, on the western bank of the Nile River on the Giza Plateau.
God in reverse or what the giant symbolizes
In Ancient Egypt, the figure of the Lion personified the power of the pharaohs. In Abydos, the cemetery of the first Egyptian kings, archaeologists discovered about 30 skeletons of adults who were under 20 years old, and... the bones of lions. The gods of the ancient Egyptians were always depicted with the body of a man and the head of an animal, but here it’s the other way around: a man’s head the size of a house on the body of a lion.
Maybe this suggests that the power and strength of the lion combined with human wisdom and the ability to control this power? But to whom did this strength and wisdom belong? Whose facial features are carved in stone?
Unraveling the secret of construction: interesting facts
The world's leading Egyptologist Mark Lehner spent 5 years next to the mysterious creature, studying him, the materials and rock around him. He compiled a detailed map of the statue and came to a clear conclusion: the statue was carved from limestone, which lies at the base of the Giza plateau.
First, they hollowed out a trench in the shape of a horseshoe, leaving a huge block in the center. And then the sculptors carved a monument out of it. Blocks weighing up to 100 tons for the construction of the walls of the temple in front of the Sphinx were taken from here.
But this is only part of the solution. The other is how exactly did they do it?
Together with Rick Brown, an expert on ancient tools, Mark reproduced the tools depicted in tomb drawings that were over 4,000 years old. These were copper chisels, a two-handed pestle and a hammer. Then, with these tools, they cut out a detail of the monument from the limestone block: the missing nose.
This experiment made it possible to calculate that they could have worked on creating the mysterious figure one hundred sculptors in three years. At the same time, they were accompanied by a whole army of workers who created tools, hauled away rock and did other necessary work.
Who broke the colossus' nose?
When Napoleon arrived in Egypt in 1798, he saw a mysterious monster without a nose, as 18th-century drawings prove: the face was like this long before the arrival of the French. Although one may come across the opinion that the nose was recaptured by the French military.
There are other versions. For example, it is called the shooting of Turkish (according to other sources - English) soldiers, whose target was the face of an idol. Or there is a story about a fanatical Sufi monk in the 8th century AD who mutilated a “blasphemous idol” with a chisel.
Fragments of the ritual beard of the Egyptian Sphinx. British Museum, Photo from EgyptArchive
Indeed, there are traces of wedges driven into the bridge of the nose and near the nostril. It looks like someone hammered them in on purpose to break off the part.
Prophetic dream of the prince at the Sphinx
The monument was saved from complete destruction by the sands that covered it for millennia. Attempts to restore the colossus have been made since Thutmose IV. There is a legend that while hunting, resting in the midday shade of a structure, the king’s son fell asleep and had a dream. The giant deity promised him the crown of the Upper and Lower Kingdoms and in return asked him to free him from the consuming desert. The granite Dream Stele, installed between the paws, preserves this history.
Drawing of the Great Sphinx 1737 Hood. Frederik Norden
The prince not only dug up the deity, but also surrounded it with a high stone wall. At the end of 2010, Egyptian archaeologists excavated sections of the brick wall, which stretched 132 m around the monument. Scientists believe that this is the work of Thutmose IV, who wants to protect the statue from drifts.
The story of the grief-restoration of the Sphinx in Giza
Despite the efforts, the structure was filled up again. In 1858, part of the sand was cleared by Auguste Mariette, founder of the Egyptian Antiquities Service. And in the period from 1925 to 1936. French engineer Emile Barais completed the clearing completely. Perhaps for the first time, the divine beast was once again exposed to the elements.
It is also clear that the statue is being destroyed by wind, humidity and exhaust fumes from Cairo. Realizing this, the authorities are trying to preserve the ancient monument. In the last century, in 1950, a huge and expensive restoration and conservation project was started.
But at the initial stage of work, instead of benefit, only additional damage was caused. The cement used for repairs, as it turned out later, was incompatible with limestone. Over the course of 6 years, more than 2,000 limestone blocks were added to the structure, chemical treatment was carried out, but... this did not bring a positive result.
How M. Lehner guessed who the Great Sphinx of Egypt depicts
Excavations of the Temple of Khafre (foreground).
The Kheop Pyramid is in the background.
Photograph by Henri Bechard, 1887
The tombs of the pharaohs change their shape and size over time. And appear. And the Great Sphinx is the only one.
A significant number of Egyptologists believe that he represents Pharaoh Khafre (Hawr) from the fourth dynasty, because. a similar small stone silhouette with his face was found nearby. The sizes of the blocks of Khafre's tomb (circa 2540 BC) and the monster also match. Despite their claims, no one knows for sure when and by whom this statue was installed in Giza.
Mark Lehner found the answer to this question. He studied the structure of the Sphinx Temple, which is located 9 meters away. On the days of the spring and autumn equinox, the sun at sunset connects the two sanctuaries of the temple and the pyramid of Khafre with one line.
The religion of the ancient Egyptian kingdom was based on the worship of the Sun. Local residents worshiped the idol as an incarnation of the Sun God, calling it Khor-Em-Akhet. Comparing these facts, Mark determines the original purpose of the Sphinx and his identity: Khafre's face the son of Cheops, looks from the figure of a god who protects the pharaoh's journey to the afterlife, making it safe.
In 1996, a New York detective and identification expert revealed that the resemblance was more noticeable to Khafre's older brother Djedefre (or son, according to other sources). The debate on this topic is still ongoing.
How old is the giant anyway? Writer vs. Scientists
Explorer John Anthony West
There is now a lively debate about the dating of the monument. Writer John Anthony West was the first to notice marks on the lion's body. water erosion. Other structures on the plateau show wind or sand erosion. He contacted geologist and associate professor at Boston University Robert M. Schoch, who, after studying the materials, agreed with West's conclusions. In 1993, their joint work “The Secret of the Sphinx” was presented, which received an Emmy Award for Best Research and a nomination for Best Documentary.
Although today this area is arid, about 10,000 years ago the climate there was humid and rainy. West and Schoch concluded that for the observed effects of water erosion to occur, the age of the Sphinx must be from 7000 to 10,000 years.
Scientists have rejected Schoch's theory as wildly flawed, pointing out that the once common violent rain storms throughout Egypt ceased before the sculpture's appearance. But the question remains: why was it only this Giza structure that showed signs of water damage?
Spiritual and supernatural interpretations about the purpose of the Sphinx
The famous English journalist Paul Brunton spent a lot of time traveling in Eastern countries, lived with monks and mystics, and studied the history and religion of Ancient Egypt. He explored royal tombs and met famous fakirs and hypnotists.
His favorite symbol of the country, a mysterious giant, told him its secrets during a night spent in the Great Pyramid. The book “In Search of Mystical Egypt” tells how one day the secret of all things was revealed to him.
American mystic and prophet Edgar Cayce is confident in the theory that can be read in his book about Atlantis. He pointed out that the secret knowledge of the Atlanteans was kept next to the Sphinx.
Sketch by Vivant Duvon, 1798. Shows a man emerging from a hole in the top.
Writer Robert Bauval published an article in 1989 that the three pyramids at Giza, relative to the Nile, formed a kind of three-dimensional "hologram" on the ground of the three stars of Orion's belt and the Milky Way. He developed a complex theory that all the structures of a given area, together with the ancient Scriptures, constitute an astronomical map.
The most suitable position of the stars in the sky for this interpretation was in 10500 BC. BC. This date is understandably disputed by Egyptologists, since not a single archaeological artifact dating from these years has been excavated here.
New riddles of the Sphinx in Egypt?
There are various legends about secret passages associated with this artifact. Research by the University of Florida and Boston University, as well as Waseda University in Japan, revealed various anomalies around the figure. Although, it is possible that these are natural features.
In 1995, workers renovating a nearby parking lot came across a series of tunnels and paths, two of which plunge underground not far from the stone body of the man-beast. R. Bauval is convinced that these structures are the same age.
Between 1991 and 1993, while studying damage to the monument using a seismograph, Anthony West's team discovered regular-shaped hollow spaces or chambers located at a depth of several meters between the forelimbs and on either side of the mysterious image. But permission for a deeper study was not received. The mystery of the underground rooms has not yet been solved.
The Sphinx in Egypt continues to excite inquiring minds. There are many conjectures and assumptions surrounding the most ancient monument on our planet. Will we ever find out who and why left this mark on Earth?
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The Egyptian one was recognized as one of the most mysterious sculptures of our Earth. Sphinx. The Sphinx rises above the vast expanses of the desert in the Valley of the Kings on the Gizo plateau. Now it's a plateau Guizot is the city of Giza on the outskirts of Cairo, more than 900 thousand inhabitants live there. When you drive along its streets, the pyramids are already looming on the horizon. The necropolis, on the territory of which the pyramids are located, occupies approximately 2000 square meters. m. and declared a protected area. These pyramids are considered one of the wonders of the world. The city can be said to have already come close to the pyramids. Literally 100 meters from the residential quarters there is the Sphinx, and behind it the pyramids.
There are nine pyramids in total.
Three of them are the most famous. It is believed that the pyramids are about 5 thousand years old, the sphinx is about 3.5 thousand years old. These structures were known to the ancient Greeks, but for them, as for us, they were hoary antiquity. “Forty centuries look down on you from the heights of these pyramids,” Napoleon Bonaparte told his soldiers before the Battle of Giza, 1798. The height of the pyramids of Cheops is 138.75 m, Khafre (son of Cheops) - 136.4 m, Mikkerin (grandson) - 55.5 m. Visually, the pyramid of Khafre (in the center) seems higher, because it stands on a higher place... Without seeing them in reality, you can imagine something quite monumental, but from a distance the pyramids seem small, and up close, they are not as huge as many would like to see. 
The Sphinx is located closer to the city, as if guarding the pyramids. In ancient times, the Nile had such a wide bed that the Sphinx stood right on the river bank. Around the pyramids of Khafre and Mikkerin there are several more small pyramids (very badly destroyed) - the tombs of their wives, children, concubines... Initially, the pyramids were lined with granite blocks and had heights several meters higher. But over the course of centuries of history, these blocks, as well as some directly from the pyramids, were used to build Cairo. Many famous mosques were built from the granite casing of the pyramids. By the way, I will say that the casing made the pyramids absolutely smooth, and not compliant as they are now. The real names of the pharaohs who rested in the pyramids are Khufu, Khafre and Menkaur (Cheops, Khafre and Mikkerin, respectively). Moreover, Cheops and Khafre were not related, and Mikkerin is the son of Khafre. In the pyramid of Khafre the inscription "G. Belzoni. 1818." The discoverer wrote this on March 2, 1818. The dimensions of the burial chamber are 14.2m x 5m x 6.8m (length, width and height, respectively). The Sphinx's nose was shot off from a cannon, but not by Napoleonic soldiers (as some claim), but by Turkish Mamluks - Muslims do not like the display of human faces. The Arabs call the pyramids "Al-Ahram" ("pyramids") and the Sphinx - "Abu Hall" ("father of horror").
Pyramid of Cheops.
The largest known pyramid is Cheops. He was the pharaoh of the 4th dynasty (2600 BC). The pyramid is tetrahedral, with a square base. The height of the pyramid is 147 m, the base has a side of 228 m. Stone blocks weighing 2.5 tons each were used to construct the pyramid. At the same time, the quality of the surface treatment makes us doubt that we are modern people, we understand life; it is impossible to insert a knife blade between the blocks. The pyramid is oriented with its entrance to the north. Inside the pyramid there are three burial chambers, which are rooms measuring 11 by 5 meters and about 6 m high. The pharaoh’s mummy was missing from the sarcophagus, as were the supposed objects and decorations. Perhaps it was plundered in ancient times. On the southern side of the pyramid is the so-called Solar Boat. On it, Cheops went to the other world, which, of course, could also carry a symbolic meaning. The boat was discovered disassembled during excavations in 1954. It is made of cedar without the use of nails.
Pyramid of Khafre
It is believed that the Pyramid of Khafre was built almost simultaneously with the Pyramid of Cheops. A difference of 40 years against the backdrop of thousands of years of history looks like an insignificant period of time.
The pyramid is a little smaller. Base 215 meters, height 145 meters. Slightly different ratios create the illusion that it is larger than the Cheops pyramid. The two great pyramids differ from each other in the preservation of the basalt cladding at the top of the Pyramid of Khafre. A complex of structures associated with the pyramid is being traced. Temples, road, pyramid. Khafre was mummified in the lower temple.
Pyramid of Mikerin
This pyramid, significantly different in size, completes the ensemble of the great pyramids. Its dimensions are as follows: height - 67 m, base 108 m. The pyramid contains a single burial chamber. The chamber was created in the rocky base of the pyramid. The relatively small size of the pyramid emphasizes the greatness of the first two.
How were the pyramids created? Many scientists believe they know how, others doubt it. In any case, it was a great work of a great people. The ancient quarries where the stone for the pyramids was mined are still visible. An ancient pier was discovered not far from the pyramids; the stones were delivered by ship.
In the vicinity of the great pyramids there are several small pyramids of the wives of the pharaohs, the tombs of the Egyptian aristocracy.
Sphinx
The Sphinx is the largest solid sculpture in the world (after the explosion of Buddha statues by the Taliban in Afghanistan)... For five thousand years, the Sphinx has been meeting the sunrises, it faces the east, its lips are closed. The facial features are believed to correspond to the image of Pharaoh Khafre. This is a mysterious creature with the body of a lion and the head of a man, carved from the same stone. The length of the sphinx from the tip of its paws to its tail is 57.3 m, its height is 20 m. Nestled at the huge paws of the sphinx is a small temple, now completely destroyed. Quite well preserved. And if you also take into account that the Germans took the crown to their museum, and the French to the Louvre, and Napoleon actually fired cannons at it during the Egyptian campaign... Although it is restored from time to time, it does not feel like a remake. You cannot approach the statue directly - it stands on a high pedestal, and tourists walk around at paw level along a special parapet perimeter, so it turns out that there is an insurmountable deep ditch between tourists and the Sphinx. When a person stands, especially at dawn, between the paws of the Great Sphinx of Egypt and sees how the rising sun illuminates his face, he is overcome with shyness and awe. At this moment you clearly feel how old this colossal statue is - almost as old as time itself. They say that it is much older than the 4500 years that Egyptologists give it; it is quite possible that it dates back to the last Ice Age, when, as is believed, a civilization capable of creating such monuments could not yet exist.
When a man stands at dawn between the paws of the Great Sphinx of Egypt and sees the rising sun illuminate his face, he is overcome with shyness and awe. At this moment you clearly feel how old this colossal statue is - almost as old as time itself. It is much older than the 4,500 years that Egyptologists give it; it is quite possible that it dates back to the last Ice Age, when, as is believed, a civilization capable of creating such monuments could not yet exist. The Sphinx is the greatest mystery of antiquity. It is still not known for certain who, why and when erected this grandiose structure.
Myths and legends of the Sphinx
This majestic monument is fraught with many secrets and mysteries; for thousands of years it has been shrouded in myths and legends, it has been worshiped and feared, it has seen the change of eras and civilizations, and only it, the Sphinx of Giza, has remained the imperishable and silent keeper of the secrets of the distant past.
1. He was once considered an eternal god. He then fell into the trap of oblivion and fell into an enchanted sleep. What secret does this majestic guard keep? In the myths of the ancient Greeks, the Sphinx is a monster generated by Typhon and Echidna, with the face and breasts of a woman, the body of a lion and the wings of a bird. The Sphinx was located on a mountain near the city of Thebes and asked everyone who passed by a riddle: “Which living creature walks on four legs in the morning, on two in the afternoon, and on three in the evening?” The Sphinx killed those who were unable to provide a solution. Oedipus solved the riddle - “Man in childhood, maturity and old age.” After this, the Sphinx threw herself off the cliff.
2. Another legend tells that this huge predator guards the peace of the pyramids day and night, and with the help of the “third eye” monitors the circulation of the planets, Sirius and the rising of the Sun, feeding on cosmic power. In exchange for this he had to make sacrifices.
3. Another legend says that a giant statue of a mysterious beast guards the “elixir of immortality.” According to legends, the founder of esoteric knowledge, Hermes Trismegistus, owned the secrets of making the “philosopher’s stone,” with which metal could be turned into gold. Also, the “philosopher’s stone” was the basis for creating the “elixir of immortality.” According to legend, Trismegistus was the son of an Egyptian god named Thoth, who built the first pyramid on the banks of the Nile and erected the Sphinx next to the pyramid complex in Giza, designed to protect the recipe for the “elixir of immortality”, which was hidden in its depths.
4. Initially, in myths, the Egyptian Sphinx retained the features of a lion with the head of a man. He wandered along the roads near Parnassus, devouring passers-by. In the myths of the ancient Greeks, the Sphinx is a monster born of Typhon and Echidna, with the body of a lion, the face and breasts of a woman, and the wings of a bird. Having settled on a mountain near the city of Thebes, the Sphinx asked everyone who passed by a riddle - “Which living creature walks on four legs in the morning, on two in the afternoon, and on three in the evening?” Those who failed to solve the riddle were killed by the Sphinx. Oedipus was able to give the answer - “Man in childhood, maturity and old age.” After which the Sphinx threw herself off the cliff.
5. The Arabs living in the area called the statue Abul Khol, which means “father of horror.” As philologists have established, the full name of the statue meant “the living image of Khafre.” Thus, the Sphinx was the embodiment of King Khafre with symbols of royal power and the body of the king of the desert. Consequently, in the understanding of the ancient Egyptians, the Sphinx in one person represented a god and a lion guarding his pyramid.
6. Many mystical teachings and magicians of all times have tried to find magical explanations for the purpose of the Sphinx. Here is what the classic of occultism Eliphas Levi wrote in his “History of Magic”: “Hermes Trismegistus formulated his symbol, called the Emerald Tablet: “What is below is like what is above, and what is above is like what is below, for actions of miracles of one essence." Light is Isis, or the moon, fire is Osiris, or the sun; they are the mother and father of the great Tellus, and she is the universal substance. Hermes Trismegistus states that these forces reached their absolute manifestation at the moment when the earth was created. Four manifestations of a single substance were represented by the Sphinx. His wings corresponded to air, his bull's body to earth, his woman's breasts to water, and his lion's paws to fire. This is the secret of the three pyramids with square bases and triangular faces guarded by the Sphinx. By erecting these monuments, Egypt tried to erect the Pillars of Hercules of universal science.
How old is the Sphinx?
1. For a long time, scientists considered the Sphinx to be the same age as the Great Pyramids, but there is one oddity here. The fact is that in the ancient papyri that have reached us and dating back to the era of the construction of the pyramids, not the slightest mention of the Sphinx was found. And, if hieroglyphs brought to us the names of the builders of the Great Pyramids, who created the Sphinx remains a mystery. We found the answer in the works of the ancient Roman scientist and writer Pliny the Elder. His “Natural History” tells that in his time the Sphinx was once again cleared of the sands of the Western Desert, which literally swallowed it up. It is not known exactly how often the Sphinx was covered with sand, but it becomes clear why there were periods in history when there was no mention of the Sphinx. It’s just that the same Herodotus, describing the greatness of Ancient Egypt, could not tell us about the Sphinx, because he did not see it - it was buried under a many-meter layer of sand. Studying the sculpture, scientists came to the conclusion that the Sphinx was periodically hidden under a layer of sand, and from time to time it had to be dug up. In the last century, a stele was found in Egypt on which was carved a text compiled in the 15th century BC during the reign of Pharaoh Thutmose IV. The text says that the pharaoh had a sign in a dream - if he was able to clear the Sphinx of sand, then his reign would be prosperous and long. It also says that the sculpture was dug up after almost a year. In our time, archaeologists have received information that the Sphinx was dug out of the sand during the reign of the Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt, then under the Arab rulers and Roman emperors. Even today, after strong sandstorms, the statue has to be cleaned, although there is much less sand now than before. The statue was finally cleared of sand in the mid-1920s.
2. Based on these facts and phenomena, scientists concluded that the Sphinx was erected much earlier than previously thought. But there are many different hypotheses about the time of construction of the statue. Therefore, Egyptologists of the world to this day have not come to a common opinion. Studies of significant traces of erosion indicated traces of a flood that once occurred in these places. And the estimated date of the event was named - 8000 BC, and repeated research carried out by the British pushed this date back to 12000 BC. In addition, it turned out that traces of erosion occur on the processed part of the rock on which the Sphinx is installed, which means that it stood there even before the flood. French archaeologists claim that the dating of the flood that occurred in Egypt coincides with the date of the destruction of Atlantis according to Plato... Other scientists are trying to calculate the time of the creation of the Sphinx from the Bible, believing that the erosion could have been caused by the Great Flood. Based on the description of the weather in Egypt (the dream of the pharaoh, unraveled by Joseph), it can be assumed that the Sphinx was erected around 2820-2620 BC. This hypothesis is indirectly confirmed by an Arab legend, which says that the pyramids were built to save the Egyptians from the Great Flood. And the Sphinx was erected in order to warn people about the impending disaster. Therefore, the Sphinx's gaze is wary, and its third eye is directed into Space.
3. The Roerichs and Helena Blavatsky believed that the Sphinx was built by the Atlanteans about 200 thousand years ago. And the famous philosopher Jorge A. Livraga believes that the descendants of the Atlanteans built the Great Pyramid, and a thousand years later - the Great Sphinx. According to N. N. Sychenov, “The construction of the Sphinx began 42.2 thousand years BC and the construction was completed 1200 years later.”
4. The famous American medium Edward Cayce claimed that “The Sphinx and the Pyramids of Cheops were built between 10490 and 10390 BC.” Boston University geology professor Robert Schoch, based on studies of traces of water erosion of the Sphinx, believes that the time of creation of the statue lies between 7000 and 5000 BC, because it was during this period that heavy rains fell over Egypt, which could have caused erosion.
5. John West believes that most of the erosion occurred during an earlier, rainy period - around 10,000 BC.
6. Other scientists divide the time of creation of the Sphinx and the time of construction of the pyramids.
However, many ancient legends and tales of different peoples testify against this: Greeks, Romans, Chaldeans, Arabs. These legends tell that a tunnel was dug underground and a hiding place was built. The tunnel served as a connection between the Great Pyramid and the Sphinx, which was used by the priests...
Sensational secrets of the Sphinx revealed during its renovation
Time has been kind to this great monument of ancient history, but people have treated it with much less respect. One Egyptian ruler ordered the Sphinx's nose to be taken off. At the beginning of the 18th century, the giant's face was fired from a cannon, and Napoleon's soldiers fired guns into his eyes. The British beat off the stone beard and took it to the British Museum.
Nowadays, the acrid smoke of Cairo factories and car exhaust are destroying the stones. In 1988, a huge block weighing 350 kilograms broke off from the Sphinx’s neck and fell. The emergency condition of the sculpture caused concern among UNESCO. Renovations began, sparking renewed interest in the mysteries of the Sphinx and the opportunity to re-examine the grandiose sculpture. The discoveries were not long in coming.
First sensation: Japanese archaeologists, led by Professor Yoshimura, using special instruments, first illuminated the massif of the Cheops pyramid, and then examined the stones of the Sphinx. The conclusion was amazing: the stones of the sculpture are older than the blocks of the pyramid.
Second sensation: there was a discovery under the left paw of a stone lion of a narrow tunnel leading towards the Cheops pyramid.
Third sensation: Traces of erosion from a large flow of water that moved from north to south were discovered on the Sphinx. It was not the flood of the Nile, but a biblical catastrophe that occurred around eight to twelve thousand years BC.
Fourth sensation: French archaeologists made an interesting remark: the dating of the Egyptian stream coincides with the date of the death of the legendary Atlantis!
Fifth sensation: The face of the Sphinx is not the face of Khafre.
It was believed that the Sphinx was built by Pharaoh Khafre 4.5 thousand years ago. For more than half of its life, the sphinx was buried up to its neck in sand. Since it was heavily damaged by erosion, the idea of greater antiquity of the sphinx arose: erosion from water, rather than from sand and wind. Geological research showed the same. 10 thousand years ago there were lakes in the Sahara. Schock and West presented their findings at the Geological Society of America's annual meeting. A furious debate began between geologists and Egyptologists. The front and sides are more susceptible to erosion. While the back part is smaller, which means it was most likely made later. The front is twice as old as the back. How old is the sphinx? At first glance, the face of the sphinx is absolutely similar to the face of Pharaoh Khafre, which seems to prove the time of its creation. But a detailed analysis of all the parameters showed that the face of the sphinx and the face of the pharaoh are not identical. Proportions and shapes do not match. And special studies were done that proved that the faces on the sculpture of Pharaoh Khafre in the Cairo Museum and the face of the Sphinx are different.
Conclusions:
The Sphinx has always been considered the keeper of knowledge, the guardian of the portal leading to the world of higher intelligence, a symbol of the strength of human nature... The personification of the unity and balance of the forces of the nature of the earth with the higher forces living in the Universe. Everything came together in the Great Sphinx. The ideal symbol of initiation into eternal life. And the mystery of the origin of the Sphinx goes back to time immemorial. What do we know about those times? Practically nothing, but the legends and myths that have survived to this day raise many questions and practically do not provide answers to them. However, it can be assumed that in the mists of time a highly developed civilization existed on our Earth, and its representatives, possessing developed science, could foresee the coming catastrophe and try to preserve their knowledge for future generations. One of the ancient legends says: “When the Sphinx speaks, life on Earth will go out of its usual circle.” But for now the Sphinx remains silent...
When was it built? When was it reconstructed? In honor of whom and by whom it was created... Most likely, there will never be exact answers to these questions... After all, the deeper science advances, the more questions arise...
Information and photos from the Internet. 
The Great Sphinx of Giza is a monumental figure carved from a monolithic limestone rock in the shape of a sphinx lying on the sand of a lion whose face is similar to Pharaoh Khafre, whose tomb is located nearby. The Sphinx is located on the west bank of the Nile, in Giza. ( 11 photos)
1. It is generally accepted that the face of the Sphinx is similar to the face of the Egyptian pharaoh Khefre, who existed around 2575-2465. BC e. The Sphinx is 73 meters long, 20 meters high, 11.5 meters at the shoulders, 4.1 meters wide and 5 meters high. Between the front paws of the Sphinx there was once a small sanctuary.
2. There is a moat around the Sphinx, 5.5 meters wide and 2.5 meters deep. In general, the Sphinx is a mythical 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. The Sphinx of Giza is slightly different from the definition. The Great Sphinx is the oldest monumental sculpture in the world.
3. According to one version, the Sphinx was created around 2500 BC. but not even a millennium had passed and the Sphinx was buried in the sands of Egypt. But it is not known for certain who created such a mysterious monument and when.
4. The Sphinx has long been one of the main objects in the world, around which legends and various myths gather. The Sphinx attracts lovers of fantasy and mystery.
5. The Sphinx is located facing towards, and looks directly east to the point on the horizon where the Sun rises on the days of the equinoxes. Numerous mysteries and assumptions are associated with the Sphinx. According to one of them, it is believed that the Nile had such a wide bed that the sculpture of the Sphinx was located near the shore.
6. According to one legend, the Great Sphinx is the guardian of the local pyramids. Since ancient times, it was customary to depict the pharaoh as a lion destroying his enemies. The fact is that almost all ancient Eastern civilizations saw the lion as a symbol of the solar deity.
8. It is also very interesting that “Sphinx” translated from Greek means “strangler”.
9. The Great Sphinx of Giza has been and remains one of the most popular places in Egypt for tourists, and none of them remains indifferent to such a great and mysterious structure.
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 find 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 a head:
- a 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 has been inherent in the Egyptians for a long time. So, the first of them appeared during the fourth dynasty of the pharaohs, that is, approximately 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
The Egyptian Sphinx managed to defeat time, but it affected the change in its 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 the amazing figure with the body of a lion and the face of a man continues to attract attention.