Sphinx Research Paper

The Great Pyramids of Giza are considered to be three of the world’s most fascinating and astonishing archaeological marvels. On the edge of modern-day Cairo stands the plateau of Giza, on which these extraordinary pyramids were constructed approximately 4,500 years ago, yet to this day, they are regarded as three of the world’s largest human-made structures, standing, collectively, at 1116 feet tall. However, the Pyramid of Khufu, is by far the most captivating. As the biggest pyramid of the three (despite Khafre’s Pyramid being mistaken as the larger one as it was built on higher ground), Khufu’s Pyramid (more commonly referred to as the Great Pyramid) once stood at a towering 481 feet tall, however, over the centuries it has been affected by erosion, and combined with the absence of its pyramidion, its present height reaches 455 feet, with it’s base covering an area of 230.4 metres. The Great Pyramid was built around 2580-2650 BC, during the Fourth Dynasty, and is believed to have been constructed as a tomb for the Fourth Dynasty Egyptian pharaoh Khufu. Furthermore, many egyptologists argue the time period in which Khufu’s Pyramid was formed, with John Romer proposing a 14-year time span, and Mark Lehner

Standing as a full round sculpture at sixty five feet high and two hundred and forty feet long, it would have caused any person that stood before it to feel insignificant. It was carved from sandstone, and has been exposed to the harsh desert climate and conditions of Egypt including sandstorms. Over the years this structure has been worn down significantly due to being buried by sand and having to be excavated. Different layers of this structure have deteriorated much faster than others because of the variances in the softness of the sandstone that the sphinx was carved out

The future king’s name was Tuthmosis IV. After falling asleep in the shade of the Sphinx when out hunting, the pharaoh dreamt that the great beast was choking from the sand engulfing it, and that it told him if he cleared the sand he would obtain the crown of Upper and Lower Egypt. In between the front paws of the Sphinx is a granite stela, now called the “Dream Stela”, which is inscribed with the story of the pharaoh’s dream. After that, the Sphinx got buried by sand again, but it was unburied by archaeologists. The entire Sphinx was excavated in 1925 to 1936, in digs led by Émile Baraize.

A popular theory regarding the Sphinx is that it was built during Khafre’s reign as Pharaoh of the 4th Dynasty (around 2600 B.C). Khafre (Khafra, Khefren or Chephren) was the son of King Khufu and younger brother of Djedefre (his predecessor). Being the second of Khufu’s heirs to take the thrown it is believed Khafre built the Great Sphinx in his own image. Dr. Salima Ikram suggests “he is showing the world that he is a legitimate heir and therefore has every right to rule” (“Secret: The Sphinx”). The base of this theory is that Khafre’s temple is located directly behind the Sphinx and therefore he must have built it and arranged it that way. “It is possible the sphinx was intended to serve as a guardian for Khafre’s splendid valley temple” (Oakes, and Gahlin 428). This theory however, remains just that, a theory. Without any proof of a name on the outside of the Sphinx or a date stating the year it was made, Khafre’s connection to the Sphinx cannot be known for

Although it was so deep into the season that excavation was useless, digging further proved that the object was the sphinx's tail. The Alabaster Sphinx weighs about 90 tons and is 26 feet long and 13 feet tall. Although it has weathered over the centuries, the Alabaster Sphinx of Memphis remains spectacular. The monument stood outside of the Temple of Ptah along with the Colossus of Ramses II (Wegner 215).The Alabaster Sphinx spent several years on its side in water, which could have potentially caused damage to the

The Sphinx was built as a tomb for the pharaohs of the Old Kingdom in Egypt. The mixed form, both animal and human, is significant, especially since they were normally just built as regular pyramids. It is an important symbol of Egyptian kingship and religion because pharaohs were expected to be a form of a god that is capable of living on earth in person form.

The Great Pyramid at Giza is the best known and largest of the pyramids constructed between the Third Dynasty and the Thirteenth Dynasty (2686-1650 B.C.) of Egypt 's paranoiac age. The Great Pyramid of the pharaoh Khufu —or, as the Greeks referred to him, Cheops —was constructed during the Fourth Dynasty, about 2,550 years before the birth of Christ. Khufu reigned from 2551 to 2528 B.C.

The sphinx is located in the eastern wing of the museum. This is a fairly small artifact comparing with the original sphinx located at Giza, Egypt. It is famous for its projection both Kushite and Egyptian elements. The lion shown in the body of the sphinx is done in typical Egyptian style like the grand sphinx itself, while the face of the artifact clearly Sudanese resemblance of Taharqo, the black king. There are hieroglyphics and symbols on the statue clarifies the fact that it is a real and legitimate portrait of the great King Taharqo. The statue is kept in the central of the room in a glass box (Caleca, 1979). The statue is only accessible for viewing. Visitors are not allowed to touch the box at any cost, but they are allowed to take pictures. Besides the box, there is black and white steel panel where description about the statue is written. It’s said there that, Taharqo was in fact, the fourth pharaoh to rule both the kingdoms of ancient Egypt and Kush together, during the Third Transitional Period of the middle age (Török, 2002). Also, there was a mention that, this statue was built around 680 B.C. The statue was first discovered by archaeologists at a demolished stone temple in Nubia (now known as Sudan), which is situated in the south-eastern part of the Amun Temple at Kawa (now Gematon). The excavations were conducted and monitored by the University of Oxford in 1930 (MacGregor, 2012). Experts believe

Khafre, son of Khufu, ruled during the 4th dynasty of the “Old Kingdom” of ancient Egypt from about 2650-2480 BC. Khafre had some major achievements during his rule, including building the second largest pyramid of Giza. He also had several wives and at least twelve sons and three daughters. But there is not much else written about Khafre, except that he was a cruel ruler who kept the Egyptian temples closed after his father, Khufu, had them sealed. Khafre Enthroned is a funerary statue depicting the pharaoh Khafre.

Maned Sphinx of Hatshepsut was that of the inscription under the sphinx’s beard and in-between its

Luckily, the Great Pyramids and the Sphinx are located in the same town of Giza so I should be able to walk from one to the other and have it take me around ten minutes. In Egyptian legend, a Sphinx was a creature that had the head of a human, but also the body of a lion. In the most famous legend of a Sphinx, it terrorized a town demanding the answer to a riddle that the Sphinx was taught. If someone answered incorrectly, then the Sphinx would eat a man, and this would continue until it was given the proper answer by Oedipus, where the Sphinx killed herself. However, the Sphinx that is in Giza was built around the time that King Khafre was in power, about 2575 BCE to 2465 BCE. No one knows exactly why the Sphinx was built, but according

The Sphinx of Giza is a symbol that has represented the essence of Egypt for thousands of years. The body of a lion with the head of a king comes from the Egyptian culture symbolizing strength and wisdom. The sphinx is a carved out of the living rock. Egyptologists believe that the sphinx was built in 2500 BC in the fourth dynasty. From the north side the profile of the Sphinx reveals the proportion of the body to the head. It would appear as though the head is small in proportion to the body. Because of the changing desert terrain, the body of the Sphinx has been buried several times over the past several thousand years. Most recently in 1905, the sand has been cleared away to expose the magnitude and beauty of the entirety of

The great Sphinx from the old kingdom is built near the south side of Khafre’s pyramids. A hybrid colossus, representing Amen-Re. The original name from the old kingdom was Shesep Ankh Atum, meaning “the living image of Amen-Re .it is Carved from a single block of line stone, It’s 240 feet long . Standing 65 feet tall, it is the largest free standing monument still. The book of dead illustrates the sphinx representing the sun god, because Amen-Re was believed to emerged as a lion bathed in the light before he created the Paradise of Egypt. This explain the strange flat back due to Amen-Re landing on it, while descending from the heavens in a boat. This phenomenon is depicted in hieroglyphics throughout Egypt’s artifacts from the old

In some cases Sphinx’s were used are guardians to great treasures or personal protection (Unknown, 2016). It was described to have

When looking at this painting as a whole, you can tell that this is not a happy scene. The story behind this work of art is that the sphinx has a riddle for Oedipos to solve, but if he can’t he will be killed like the others that are thrown into the hole. The sphinx looks very serious, and like she is already telling him the riddle. The man looks serious as he is leaned against the mountain and staring into her eyes.