The Great Sphinx

Part of the reason for this fascination comes from the mystery surrounding it:

Although it is now unanimously agreed that the Great Sphinx at Giza is a Fourth Dynasty masterpiece, the pharaoh whose rule it was erected under is still much disputed; the Great Sphinx could have been commissioned by either Cheops, Djedefre or Chephren, as there is no clear inscriptional proof naming one of these three possibilities, merely circumstantial evidence, as the creator of the statue.

References on the Sphinx stele of Amenhopis the second talk of the location of the enormous creature (it measures 73.5m in length, and over 20m in height) at "the resting place of Cheops and of Chephren"; however, this merely refers to its being carved from an outcrop of rock at Giza (or "Harmakhis"), and is not conclusive evidence that either of those two men were responsible for the building of the most immense structure ever built by man.

The Sphinx, with its head cloth, uraeus cobra, and absence of a beard, does not only appear at Giza: Earlier, two dimensional, depictions of it can be found, showing it destroying enemies. This mythical creature, a divine being combining the attributes of both wild beast and man, represents great power, tamed and controlled by human intelligence, creating an image of magisterial calm.

This potent image is indeed a worthy symbol of the Ancient Egyptian civilisation.

There is no evidence to suggest that the Ancient Egyptians worshipped the Sphinx, or that it gave rise to a cult; however, the legendary monster provoked Ancient Greek curiosity sufficiently to provide a basis for their myth "Oedipus and the Riddle of the Sphinx":

Oedipus (the Prince who eventually committed suicide) was travelling along a path to Thebes, an Ancient Greek city. On the path, he came across a Sphinx, who barred his way. The Sphinx threatened to kill Oedipus, unless he could answer a riddle-

"What is it that goes on four legs in the morning, two legs in the afternoon, and three legs in the evening?"

After some thought, Oedipus correctly answered-

"A man."

In his rage, the Sphinx turned to stone, and Oedipus continued on his journey.

This myth is plainly inspired by the Ancient Egyptian Great Sphinx at Giza, and shows that the creature was so powerful a symbol that it even infiltrated other cultures.

Go To Page: 1