The largest statue in Egypt is the Sphinx. Legends of Egypt. History of the Sphinx. What material is the Great Sphinx in Egypt made of?

Great Sphinx (Egypt) - description, history, location. The exact address, phone, website. Reviews of tourists, 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, it is also one of the most mysterious sculptures, because the secret of the Sphinx has not yet been fully solved. The Sphinx is a creature with a woman's head, 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 west bank Nile, next to Egyptian pyramids in 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 incomprehensible why the statue has no nose now.

The statue, made of limestone, 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 causes controversy among scientists. The exact date of origin of this sculpture is still unknown, and it is completely incomprehensible why the statue has no nose now. The meaning of the word is also unknown: in Greek, “sphinx” means “strangler”, but what the ancient Egyptians put into this name remains a mystery.

It was customary to portray the Egyptian pharaohs as a formidable lion that would not spare a single enemy. That is why it is believed that the Sphinx guards the rest of the buried pharaohs. The author of the sculpture is unknown, but many researchers believe that it is Khafre. Admittedly, this argument is highly controversial. Proponents of the theory refer to the fact that the stones of the sculpture and the pyramid of Khafre located nearby 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, once this detail existed, but the reason for its disappearance is still unknown. Perhaps the nose was lost during the battle between Napoleon's troops and the Turks on 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 ban the image of a human face.

The Sphinx is missing not only a nose, but also a false ceremonial beard. Her story also causes controversy 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. So, for example, Japanese archaeologists came to the conclusion that the Sphinx was built before the pyramids. In addition, they found a tunnel under the left paw of the statue, leading towards the pyramid of Khafre. It is interesting that for the first time Soviet researchers mentioned this tunnel.

For a long time mysterious sculpture was under a thick layer of sand. The first attempts to dig up the Sphinx were made in antiquity by Thutmose IV and Ramses II. True, they did not achieve much success. Only in 1817, the Sphinx was freed from its chest, and after more than 100 years, the statue was completely unearthed.

Address: Nazlet El-Semman, Al Haram, Giza

Hearing the combination of the words "Ancient Egypt", many will immediately imagine the majestic pyramids and the great Sphinx - it is with them that mysterious civilization separated from us by several millennia. 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. Yes, in ancient Greece you can meet a similar creature - a beautiful woman with wings. In Egypt, these creatures were most often masculine. A sphinx with the face of a female pharaoh Hatshepsut is known. Having received the throne and pushed aside the rightful heir, this imperious woman tried to rule like a man, she even wore 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 found near such structures. So, in the temple of the supreme deity, solar Amon, about 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. Limestone was used as a material for creation, of which there were quite a lot in the Land of the Pyramids.

Description

The ancient Egyptians depicted the sphinx like this:

The head of a human, most often a pharaoh.
The body of a lion, one of the sacred animals of the hot country of Kemet.

But such an 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 were installed at the temple of Amon);
Falcon (they were called hierakosphinxes and 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 this is a statue with the body of a lion and the head of another creature (more often a man, a ram), which was installed in the immediate vicinity of the 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, approximately in 2700-2500. BC e. It is interesting that the first representative was female and depicted Queen Hetepher II. This statue has reached us, everyone can look at it in the Cairo Museum.

Everyone knows Great Sphinx in Giza, which we will discuss 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 Alley of Sphinxes near the Temple of Amun in Luxor.

The greatest value

The most famous all over the world, of course, is the Great Sphinx, which not only amazes the imagination with its huge size, but also sets many mysteries for the scientific community.

A giant with a lion's body is located on a plateau in Giza (near the capital modern state, Cairo) and is part of a funerary complex that also includes the three great pyramids. It is carved from a monolithic block and is the largest structure for which a single stone was used.

Even the age of this outstanding monument causes controversy, 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 of the legends says, by the barbaric actions of the soldiers of Napoleon's army, most likely depicts Pharaoh Khafre.
The face of the giant is turned to the east, and it is there that 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, amaze the imagination: length - more than 55 meters, width - about 20 meters, shoulder width - more than 11 meters.
Previously ancient sphinx was painted, as evidenced by the preserved remains of paint: red, blue and yellow.
Also, the statue had a beard, characteristic of the kings of Egypt. It has survived to this day, although separate from the sculpture - it is kept in the British Museum.

The giant was buried under the sands several times, it 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 headdress traditional for pharaohs, decorated with a sacred cobra, but it was completely destroyed.
Lost the statue and false beard.
Nose injury has already been mentioned. Someone blames the shelling of Napoleon's army for this, others - the actions of Turkish soldiers. There is also a version that the protruding part suffered from 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 been solved so far:

Legend has it that under the giant monument there are three underground passages. 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. So, 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 millennia ago, when a terrible flood hit Egypt.
Perhaps the army of the French emperor is wrongly accused of damaging 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 had not yet been born at that time.
As you know, the Egyptians knew writing and documented everything in detail on papyri - from conquests and the construction of temples to tax collection. However, not a single scroll has been found that would contain 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 writings of Pliny the Elder, which refers to the work of digging out sculptures from sand.

majestic monument ancient world has not yet revealed all its mysteries to us, so his research continues.

Restoration and protection

We learned what the Sphinx is, what role it played in the worldview of the ancient Egyptian. Even under the pharaohs, they tried to dig out a huge figure from the sand and partially restore it. It is known that such work was carried out during the time of Thutmose IV. A granite stele (the so-called “Stele of Sleep”) has been preserved, which tells that one day the pharaoh had a dream in which the god Ra ordered him to clear the statue of sand, in return promising power over the entire state.

Later, the conqueror Ramses II ordered to dig up the Egyptian sphinx. Then attempts were made at the beginning of the 19th and 20th centuries.

Now let's see how our contemporaries are trying to preserve this cultural heritage. The figure was carefully analyzed, all 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 mysteries. 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.

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What material is the Great Sphinx made of in Egypt?

Great Sphinx on the west bank of the Nile at Giza - the oldest surviving monumental sculpture. Carved from a monolithic limestone rock in the form of a colossal sphinx - a lion lying on the sand, whose face, as has long been considered to be, is given a portrait resemblance to Pharaoh Khafre (c. 2575-2465 BC), whose funerary pyramid is located nearby.

The religion of the ancient Egyptian kingdom was based on the worship of the sun. locals worshiped the idol as the incarnation of the Sun God, calling it Khor-Em-Akhet. Comparing these facts, Mark determines the original purpose of the Sphinx and its personality: the face of Khafre looks from the figure of a god who protects the pharaoh's journey to the afterlife, making it safe.

The Great Sphinx is the most grandiose surviving sculpture of antiquity. The body length is 3 compartment cars(73.5 meters), and the height is a 6-storey building (20 meters). The bus is smaller than one front paw. And the weight of 50 jet airliners is equal to the weight of a giant.

In ancient times, the Sphinx had a false beard, an attribute of the pharaohs, but now only fragments remain of it.

In 2014, after the restoration of the statue, tourists opened access to it, and now you can come up and look close to the legendary giant, in whose history there are many more questions than answers.

Egypt is a country that is still covered with a mass of mysteries that attract tourists from all over the world. Perhaps one of the most important secrets of this state is the great Sphinx, whose statue is located in the Giza Valley. This is one of the most grandiose sculptures ever created by human hands. Its dimensions are truly impressive - the length is 72 meters, the height is approximately 20 meters, the face of the Sphinx itself is 5 meters long, and the fallen off nose, according to calculations, was the size of an average human height. Not a single photo is able to convey the grandeur of this stunning monument of antiquity.

Today, the great Sphinx in Giza no longer instills sacred horror in a person - after excavations it turned out that the statue is just “sitting” in a pit. However, for many centuries, her head, sticking out of the desert sand, inspired superstitious fear in the desert Bedouins and local residents.

general information

The Egyptian Sphinx is located on west coast the Nile River, and his head is facing the sunrise. For many thousands of years, the gaze of this silent witness to the history of the country of the Pharaohs has been directed to that point on the horizon where, on the days of the autumn and spring equinoxes, the sun begins its unhurried course.

The Sphinx itself is made of monolithic limestone, which is a fragment of the base of the Giza plateau. The statue is a huge mysterious creature with the body of a lion and the head of a man. Many have seen this grand building in the photo in books and textbooks on the history of the Ancient World.

Cultural and historical significance of the structure

According to historians, in almost all ancient civilizations, the lion was the personification of the sun and the solar deity. In the drawings of the ancient Egyptians, the pharaoh was very often depicted as a lion, attacking the enemies of the state and exterminating them. It was on the basis of these beliefs that a version was built that the great Sphinx is a kind of mystical guard guarding the peace of the rulers buried in the tombs of the Giza Valley.

It is still not known how the inhabitants called the Sphinx ancient egypt. It is believed that the word "sphinx" itself is of Greek origin and literally translates as "strangler". In some Arabic texts, in particular, in the famous collection "A Thousand and One Nights", the Sphinx is called the "Father of Terror". There is another opinion, according to which the ancient Egyptians called the statue "the image of being." This once again confirms that the Sphinx was for them the earthly incarnation of one of the deities.

Story

Probably the most main riddle, which is fraught with the Egyptian Sphinx - this is who, when and why erected such a grandiose monument. In the ancient papyri found by historians, you can find a lot of information about the construction and creators of the Great Pyramids and numerous temple complexes, but there is no mention of the Sphinx, its creator and the cost of its construction (and the ancient Egyptians were always very attentive to the costs of this or that business) not in any source. It was first mentioned in his writings by the historian Pliny the Elder, but that was already at the beginning of our era. He notes that the Sphinx, located in Egypt, was reconstructed and cleared of sand several times. It is precisely the fact that not a single source has yet been found explaining the origin of this monument that gave rise to countless versions, opinions and conjectures as to who and why built it.

The Great Sphinx fits perfectly into the complex of structures located on the Giza plateau. The creation of this complex dates back to the reign of the IV dynasty of kings. Actually, he himself includes the Great Pyramids and the statue of the Sphinx.

It is still impossible to say exactly how old this monument is. According to the official version, the Great Sphinx at Giza was erected during the reign of Pharaoh Khafre, around 2500 BC. In support of this hypothesis, historians point to the similarity of the limestone blocks used in the construction of the Khafre pyramid and the Sphinx, as well as the image of the ruler himself, which was found near the building.

There is one more alternative version origin of the Sphinx, according to which its construction dates back to even more ancient times. A group of Egyptologists from Germany, who analyzed limestone erosion, came to the conclusion that the monument was built around 7000 BC. There are also astronomical theories of the creation of the Sphinx, according to which its construction is associated with the constellation Orion and corresponds to 10,500 BC.

Restorations and the current state of the monument

The Great Sphinx, although it has survived to our times, is now badly damaged - neither time nor people spared it. The face was especially affected - in numerous photos you can see that it is almost completely erased, and it is not possible to distinguish its features. Urey - a symbol of royal power, which is a cobra that wraps around its head - is irretrievably lost. Plath - a solemn headdress descending from the head onto the shoulders of the statue - is also partially destroyed. The beard also suffered, which is now not fully represented. But where and under what circumstances the nose of the Sphinx disappeared, scientists still argue.

Damage on the face of the Great Sphinx, located in Egypt, is very reminiscent of chisel marks. According to Egyptologists, in the 14th century it was mutilated by a pious sheikh who carried out the precepts of the Prophet Muhammad, which forbade the depiction of a human face on works of art. And the head of the structure was used by the Mamelukes as a cannon target.

Today, in the photo, video and live, you can see how much the Great Sphinx has suffered from time and the cruelty of people. A small piece weighing 350 kg even broke off from it - this gives one more reason to be truly amazed. giant size this building.

Although only 700 years ago the face mysterious statue described by an Arab traveler. His travel notes said that this face was truly beautiful, and his lips bore the majestic seal of the pharaohs.

For all the years of its existence, the Great Sphinx has repeatedly plunged up to its shoulders into the sands of the Sahara Desert. The first attempts to excavate the monument were made in ancient times by pharaohs Thutmose IV and Ramses II. Under Thutmose, the Great Sphinx was not only completely dug out of the sand, but a huge arrow made of granite was also installed in its paws. An inscription was carved on it, stating that the ruler gives his body under the protection of the Sphinx so that it rests under the sands of the Giza valley and at some point rises in the guise of a new pharaoh.

During the time of Ramses II, the Great Sphinx of Giza was not only dug out of the sand, but also underwent a thorough restoration. In particular, the massive rear part of the statue was replaced with blocks, although earlier the entire monument was monolithic. At the beginning of the 19th century, archaeologists completely cleared the chest of the statue of sand, but it was completely freed from sand only in 1925. It was then that the true dimensions of this grandiose structure became known.

The Great Sphinx as an object of tourism

The Great Sphinx, like the Great Pyramids, is located on the Giza plateau, which is 20 km from the capital of Egypt. This is a single complex of historical monuments of Ancient Egypt, which has come down to our days since the reign of the pharaohs from the IV dynasty. It consists of three great pyramids- Cheops, Khafre and Mykerin, small pyramids of queens are also included here. Here, tourists can visit various temple buildings. The statue of the Sphinx is located in the eastern part of this ancient complex.

Each civilization had its own sacred symbols that brought something special to culture and history. The Egyptian guardian of the tombs, the sphinx, is proof of the greatest strength of the country and people, their power. This is a monumental reminder of the divine rulers, who gave the world the image eternal life. The majestic guardian of the desert inspires fear in people to this day: its origin and existence is shrouded in mystery, mystical legends and milestones in history.

Description of the sphinx

The Sphinx is the majestic tireless guardian of the Egyptian tombs. At his post, he had to see many - they all received a riddle from him. Those who found a solution moved on, and those who did not have an answer - great grief awaited.

Riddle of the Sphinx: “Tell me, who walks on four legs in the morning, two in the afternoon, and three in the evening? None of all the creatures living on earth changes like him. When he walks on four legs, then he has less strength and moves more slowly than at other times?

There are several options for the origin of this mysterious creature. Each version was born in different corners planets.

Egyptian guards

The symbol of the greatness of the people - a statue erected in Giza, on the left bank of the Nile River - a sphinx creature with the head of one of the pharaohs - Khafre - and the massive body of a lion. The Egyptian guard is not just a figure, it is a symbol. The body of a lion contains the incommensurable strength of a mythical animal, and the upper part speaks of a sharp mind and incredible memory.

In Egyptian mythology, creatures with the head of a ram or a falcon are mentioned. These are also guardian sphinxes. They are installed at the entrance to the temple to the glory of the gods Horus and Amon. In Egyptology, this creature has varieties depending on the type of head, the presence of functional elements, gender.

Historians claim that the true purpose of the Egyptian sphinxes is to protect the treasures and the body of the deceased pharaoh. Sometimes they were installed at the entrance to temples to scare away thieves. Only meager descriptions of the life of this mythical creature have come down to us. We can only guess what role he was assigned in the life of the ancient Egyptians.

Predator from ancient Greece

Egyptian mythological writings have not survived, but have survived to this day Greek legends. Some researchers suggest that the Greeks borrowed the image of a mysterious creature from the Egyptians, but the right to create the name belongs to the inhabitants of Hellas. There are those who think quite differently: Greece is the birthplace of the Sphinx, and Egypt borrowed it and modified it for themselves.

Both creatures in different mythological texts have similarities only in bodies, their heads are different. The Egyptian sphinx is a male, the Greek is depicted as a woman. She has a bull tail and big wings.

Opinions on the origin of the Greek Sphinx vary:

Some scriptures say that the predator is the child of the union of Typhon and Echidna.
Others claim that this is the daughter of Orff and Chimera.

The character, according to legend, was sent to King Lai as a punishment for stealing the son of King Pelop and taking him away with him. The Sphinx guarded the road at the entrance to the city and she asked each wanderer a riddle. If the answer was wrong, she ate the person. The predator received the only solution to the riddle from Oedipus. The proud creature could not stand the defeat and threw himself on the rocks, this completes his life path in the ancient Greek writings.

Hero of myths in modern texts

The vigilant guard flashed on the pages of works more than once and everywhere he was associated with power and mysticism. To pass through the road guarded by the sphinx, you can only correctly answer the riddle. Joanne Rowling used this image in the book "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" - these are vigilant servants to whom magicians trusted their magical values.

For some science fiction writers, the sphinx is a monster, with some subspecies of genetic mutations.

Sphinx statue at Giza

The monument with the face of Khafre over the tomb of the pharaoh is located on the left bank of the Nile, is part of the whole complex of architecture of the plateau of Ancient Egypt, a few kilometers from the main pyramid in the ensemble - Cheops.

The length of the statue is about 73 m, height 20. It can be seen even from Cairo, although it is located 30 km from Giza.

The Egyptian Sphinx Monument is one of the most popular tourist spots, so it is easy to get to the complex. It is easy to take a taxi to the plateau, the trip from the center will take no more than half an hour. The cost is not more than 30 dollars. If you need to save money and have a lot of time, the bus will do. Some hotels provide a free shuttle service to the Great Sphinx Plateau.

The history of the origin of the Egyptian sphinx

Scientific texts do not accurate description why and who erected this statue, some guesswork. There is evidence that the construction is 4517 years old. Its creation dates back to 2500 BC. e. The architect is supposedly called Pharaoh Khafre. The material of which the Sphinx is composed coincides with the creator's pyramid. The blocks are made of fired clay.

Researchers from Germany suggested that the statue was erected in 7000 BC. e. The hypothesis was put forward on the basis of test samples of the material and erosional changes in clay blocks.

Egyptologists from France claim that the Sphinx statue has gone through several restorations.

purpose

The ancient name of the statue of the Sphinx is " rising Sun”, the inhabitants of ancient Egypt thought that it was a building to the glory of the greatness of the Nile. Many civilizations saw in the sculpture a divine principle and a reference to the image of the Sun God - Ra.

According to some assumptions of researchers, the sphinx is an assistant for the pharaohs in the afterlife and the guard of the tombs from ruin. A composite image associated with several seasons at once: the wings are responsible for autumn, the paws indicate summer, the body is spring, and the head corresponds to winter.

Secrets of the Egyptian Sphinx Statue

For several millennia, Egyptologists cannot agree, they argue about the origin of such a large monument and its true purpose. The Sphinx is fraught with many mysteries, to find the answer to which is not yet possible.

Is there a hall of chronicles

Edgar Cayce, an American architect, was the first to claim that there were underground passages under the statue of the Sphinx. His statement was also confirmed by Japanese researchers who, using X-rays, found a rectangular chamber 5 m long under the lion's left paw. Hypothesis of Edgar Cayce says: the Atlanteans decided to perpetuate the traces of their presence on earth in a special "hall of chronicles."

Archaeologists put forward their theory. In 1980, when drilling 15 m deep, the presence of Aswan granite and traces of the memorial room was proved. In this place of the country there are no deposits of this mineral. It was brought there on purpose and the “hall of chronicles” was inlaid with it.

Where did the Sphinx go?

The ancient Greek philosopher and historian Herodotus, traveling through Egypt, made notes. Upon returning home, he made accurate map the location of the pyramids in the complex, indicating the age according to eyewitnesses and the exact number of sculptures. In his chronicles, he included the number of slaves involved and even detailed the food they were served.

Surprisingly, there is no mention of a great sphinx in his documents. Egyptologists suggest that during the explorations of Herodotus, the statue was completely buried under the sands. This happened to the sphinx several times: in two centuries it was dug up at least 3 times. In 1925, the statue was completely cleared of sand.

Why is he facing east

An interesting fact: on the chest of a large Egyptian sphinx there is an inscription "I look at your fuss." He is indeed majestic and mysterious, wise and wary. There was a barely perceptible smirk on his lips. It seems to many that the monument cannot change the fate of a person in any way, but the facts say otherwise.

One photographer allowed himself too much: he climbed onto the statue for spectacular photos, but felt a push in the back and fell. When he woke up, he did not see the pictures on the camera, despite the fact that all this time he was alone, and the camera was film.

The mystical guardian showed his abilities more than once, so the inhabitants of Egypt are sure that the statue keeps their peace and watches the Sunrise.

Where is the nose and beard of the sphinx

There are several suggestions why the sphinx lacks a nose and beard:

During the great Egyptian campaign of Bonaparte, they were repulsed by artillery shells. The images of the Egyptian Sphinx made earlier than this event refute this theory - parts are already missing on them.
The second theory claims that in the 14th century Islamic extremists tried to mutilate it, obsessed with the idea of ridding the inhabitants of the idol. The vandals were caught and publicly executed right next to the statue.
The third theory is based on erosional changes in sculpture due to the effects of wind and water. This option is accepted by researchers from Japan and France.

Restoration

Researchers have repeatedly made attempts to restore the statue of the great Egyptian sphinx and completely clear it of sand. Ramses II is the first to excavate a folk symbol. Then the restoration was carried out by Italian Egyptologists in 1817 and 1925. In 2014, the statue was closed for cleaning and restoration for several months.

Some Fascinating Facts

In different historical documents there are records that help to better understand the life of the people of Ancient Egypt and get ground for reflection on the origin of the great sphinx:

Excavations of the plateau around the statue revealed that the builders of this gigantic monument left the place of work at the end of the construction quickly. There are remnants of mercenaries' belongings, tools and household items everywhere.
During the construction of the statue of the Sphinx, a high salary was paid - this is evidenced by the excavations of M. Lehner. He managed to calculate the approximate menu of the worker.
The statue was multicolored. Wind, water and sand tried to destroy the sphinx and the pyramids on the plateau, mercilessly affecting them. But despite this, traces of yellow and blue paint remained in some places on his chest and head.
The first mention of the Sphinx belongs to ancient Greek writings. In the epic of Hellas, this is a female creature, cruel and sad when the Egyptians transformed it - the statue has a male face with an almost neutral expression.
This is an androsphinx - he has no wings and he is a man.

Despite the past millennia, the sphinx is still majestic and monumental, full of mysteries and shrouded in myths. He fixes his gaze into the distance and calmly watches the sunrise. Why the Egyptians made this mythical creature their main symbol is a mystery of antiquity that cannot be solved. We are left with only speculation.