Egypt is a country with an extraordinary culture and history. It was here that the first monumental architectural monuments in human history were built. Many people learn about Egyptian culture, pyramids and other sights from school, looking at photos or reading information on Wikipedia. In fact, each of these sculptures deserves to be touched and seen by as many tourists from all over the world as possible. The Egyptian Sphinx is considered one of the most impressive architectural monuments. This sculpture is full of mysteries and legends. In addition, the Great Sphinx in Egypt is included in the list of ancient sculptures. Its size is impressive and somewhat frightening. The length of the statue reaches 73 meters, and the height of the figure is 20 meters. The shape is no less striking - the head of a man is connected to the body and paws of a lion.
Where is the Sphinx
The popular attraction is located on the west bank of the Nile, in the city of Giza. Address: Nazlet El-Semman, Al Haram, Giza. The map shows the Great Sphinx in Egypt inside the Pyramid Complex at Giza, not far from the Pyramid of Cheops. The city of Giza is located 30 km from the capital of the state, Cairo.
How to get there
Since the Great Sphinx in Egypt is in great demand among tourists, getting to it is not difficult. You can go straight to the Sphinx plateau by taxi. The journey will take about half an hour. According to tourists, a taxi will cost about 20-30 dollars. You can also spend a little more time and save money by taking a regular route. by bus from Cairo. Buses to Giza leave at intervals of about half an hour. The ticket price reaches 5-7 dollars. If your hotel is located in other areas of Egypt near the metro, from there you can get to Giza station. Further attractions are approximately 2 km away, which can be reached by taxi or on foot.
Origin story
The history of the Sphinx is full of mysteries that, thousands of years later, scientists cannot solve. Today science does not answer the question of when, why and who built the Sphinx in Egypt. However, there is still an official version of the origin of the sculpture. According to the theory, the Sphinx is 4517 years old, as it was built in 2500 BC. Presumably the architect was Pharaoh Khafre. In making such a statement, scientists rely on the similarity of the material used for the construction of the Sphinx and the Pyramid of Khafre - the blocks are made of baked clay.
It is worth noting that German scientists put forward another hypothesis, according to which the landmark was erected in 7000 BC. This claim is based on studies of the material and erosion of the statue. According to the French Institute of Egyptology, the sculpture has undergone at least 4 restorations during its existence. One day, strong winds and sandstorms wiped out the Sphinx from the face of the Earth. Several centuries later, the statue was discovered by Khafre and restored.
There is also a theory according to which the customer was Pharaoh Khafre. The same one who, according to another hypothesis, was an architect. However, the obvious manifestations of the features of the Negroid race on the face of the Sphinx are, rather, a denying argument. Experts, using computer technology, created the appearance of the pharaoh and his relatives. After comparative analysis, the conclusion was that the statue and the pharaoh's family could not have similar facial features.
Purpose of the Sphinx
In Ancient Egypt, people called the statue the “rising Sun” or believed that it was dedicated to the Nile. The only known fact was that the majority of civilization saw in sculpture a symbol of the divine principle, namely the Sun God - Ra. If we delve deeper into the origin of the name of the statue, the word “sphinx” is ancient Greek and means “strangler.” According to other assumptions, the sculpture was created as a symbol of the protection of the pharaohs after death and as an assistant in the afterlife. But more often, scientists agree that the image of the statue is a collective one, symbolizing the four seasons, where the wings are autumn, the paws are summer, the face is winter, and the body of the lion is spring.
Secrets of the Sphinx
For several millennia, scientists and researchers around the world have not been able to come to a consensus on the origin and purpose of sculpture. The mysteries of the Egyptian Sphinx remain unsolved and leave more questions than answers. Who, when and why built the statue are not the only mysteries.
Hall of Chronicles
The first who began to claim about existence of underground passages, was Edgar Cayce, an American scientist. His claim was confirmed by Japanese scientists who discovered a five-meter rectangular chamber under the lion's left paw. Edgar Cayce expressed the idea that the Atlanteans left traces of their existence in the “hall of chronicles.” Astrologers, in turn, interpret the location of the room and pyramids in the Necropolis in their own way - in 1980, researchers drilled about 15 meters deep. Aswan granite was found here, although there is no natural occurrence of this rock here, which indicates traces of the “hall of chronicles.”
Disappearance of the Sphinx
Herodotus, an ancient Greek philosopher, traveled to Egypt. After the trip, he began to describe in detail the location of the pyramids, their number, and age. Even the number of slaves involved and the food they were fed were included in the description. Among other things, Herodotus did not mention a word about the Egyptian Sphinx. Scientists believe that the statue was swept away by sand during this era. This happened with the sculpture more than once. In the last two centuries alone, the figure has been excavated more than 4 times. It was only in 1925 that the Egyptians were able to completely unearth the lion.
Guarding the Sunrise
Another interesting detail of the statue is the inscription on the chest “I look at your vanity.” The figure is endowed with majesty and mystery. The eyes radiate wisdom and alertness. The lips depict contempt and irony. It would seem that the statue has no power and cannot in any way influence the course of events. A story that happened to one journalist proves the opposite. A young photographer wanted to take unique photographs by climbing onto the statue. After trying to get closer, as if someone had pushed him, the journalist fell, and when he woke up, he discovered that the shots taken had been erased from the film. The magical power of the Sphinx showed up more than once. Therefore, the Egyptians firmly believe that the statue protects them and watches for the Sunrise.
Why does the Sphinx have no nose or beard?
Another amazing feature of the oldest statue in the world is the absence of a nose and beard. There are three most common versions on this matter. The first one says that The Sphinx's nose was hit by an artillery shot during the war with Napoleon. Official sources reject this, since in drawings from an earlier age the figure is already without a nose and beard. According to the second version, in the 14th century an Islamic extremist climbed onto the figure and barbarically mutilated it, wanting to rid the world of the idol. After which the fanatic was caught and burned right at the feet of the lion.
The third version has scientific confirmation and speaks of the absence of parts of the face due to water erosion. This theory is supported by French and Japanese scientists.
- During excavations, tools, stone blocks, and the remains of workers' belongings were found at the foot of the statue, which suggests that the builders quickly abandoned the site after the Sphinx was completed.
- Excavations under the leadership of M. Lehner helped to establish the approximate diet of the workers, judging by which we can safely say that the builders received decent wages.
- The Sphinx was colorful. Although the statue is now naturally sandy in color, there are still flecks of yellow and blue paint on the chest and face.
- The Egyptian Sphinx has ancient Greek roots. But the Greek figure in mythology is depicted as more cruel and sullen, in contrast to the Egyptian one.
- In Egypt there is a statue of an androsphinx because it lacks the wings and face of a woman.
Restoration of the Great Sphinx
There have been repeated attempts to restore and excavate the Sphinx from under the sand. The first who began to save the oldest sculpture were the pharaohs Thutmose IV and Ramses II. The Italians also cleaned the statue in 1817, and later in 1925. In the recent past, the Sphinx was closed to tourists for about 4 months, after which, in 2014, the restoration was completed.
What to see nearby
You can travel around Giza not only for the sake of the Great Sphinx. Nearby, on the plateau, there are 3 famous pyramids, including. All of them are located within walking distance and do not require additional transport, according to reviews from tourists.
The history of this magnificent architecture was told in detail, and some of the secrets of the Sphinx were revealed. But being carried away by the history of the Sphinx, we completely forgot to mention and tell "WHERE DID THE SPHINX'S NOSE GO?". Let's find out together...
As you may have noticed, his giant 6,500-year-old statue near the Egyptian pyramids is noseless. For many centuries, various armies and individuals - the British, Germans, Arabs - were accused of the fact that the Sphinx's nose was deliberately broken off for some special reasons. However, it is still customary to shift the blame mainly to Napoleon.
Almost none of these accusations have any basis. In fact, the only one who can be said to have actually damaged the Sphinx was the Sufi fanatic Muhammad Saim al-Dah, who was beaten to death by local residents for vandalism in 1378. However, it is unlikely that he would be able to break off a two-meter piece of stone at a height of several tens of meters.
The British and German armies, which visited Egypt during both world wars, are not to blame: there are photographs of the Sphinx without a nose, dated 1886.
As for Napoleon, sketches of the noseless Sphinx made by European travelers in 1737, thirty-two years before the birth of the future French emperor, have survived. When the twenty-nine-year-old general first laid his eyes on the ancient statue, its nose had most likely been missing for hundreds of years.
Napoleon's campaign in Egypt was intended to disrupt British ties with India. The French army fought two major battles in this country: the Battle of the Pyramids (which, by the way, did not take place at the Pyramids at all) and the Battle of the Nile (which had nothing to do with the Nile). Together with the 55,000-strong army, Napoleon brought 155 civilian specialists - the so-called savants (Scientists; major specialists in any field (French)). This was the first professional archaeological expedition to Egypt.
When Nelson sank Napoleon's fleet, the emperor returned to France, abandoning both the army and the "scientists", who continued to work without their leader. The result was a scientific work entitled “Description de I"Egypte” (“Description of Egypt” (French)) - the first accurate picture of the country to reach Europe.
However, despite all these facts, Egyptian guides still tell large crowds of tourists that the nose of the statue was knocked off by a cannonball during the Napoleonic battle with the Turks at the Pyramids.
The most plausible reason for the Sphinx's missing nose is 6,000 years of wind and weather exposure to the soft limestone.
For two hundred years now, Egyptologists, historians and ordinary people have been puzzling over what the huge statue of the Egyptian Sphinx served for, whether it was simply part of the architectural ensemble of the pyramids or was of a ritual nature. Where is the Sphinx's nose and was it even there? How did the giant limestone rock from which the miracle animal was carved end up in the middle of the desert? The mystery of the Egyptian Sphinx has not yet been revealed, despite almost thorough study and deep knowledge of the history and culture of Ancient Egypt. If you are interested in this story and are drawn to the mysterious, then you can safely go yourself. http://tours.ua/egypt. Here you can choose and book a suitable tour, but let’s get down to business.
So. The Mystery of the Egyptian Sphinx
Let's start with the fact that the Great Sphinx, as it is commonly called, was found by Western explorers about two hundred years ago and in 1817 it was cleared of sand up to its chest. The size of the statue is amazing. The length of the lion's body stretches as much as 72 meters, and from the base to the top of its humanoid head - 20 meters. Since the Sphinx is carved from a monolithic limestone rock, it is unclear how it could have been brought to its usual “habitat.” The same pyramids near which the giant was located were built from much smaller stones. We all know very well how multi-ton stones were delivered to the construction site using a system of logs and analogues of our barge haulers. But how many slaves were needed to drag such a huge thing?
As for the one and a half meter nose, which seems to have evaporated, there are many guesses. One of the most striking is the version with a cannonball, which supposedly flew right between the Sphinx’s eyes during the battle between the armies of Napoleon and the Turks, thereby depriving the ancient monster of its sniffing apparatus. The version is beautiful, but implausible. The fact is that there are drawings by a Danish traveler who captured the noseless Sphinx back in 1737, long before the adventures of Napoleon. Besides, where did the nose itself go? Unless it was crushed into fine gravel.
According to another version, his nose was broken off by an unnamed Sufi fanatic back in the fourteenth century, for which he was torn to pieces by a crowd. The medieval Cairo historian al-Makrizi speaks about this. Is the mystery of the Egyptian Sphinx's nose solved or not? Somehow it's not very believable. How could this fanatic even manage to do this? However, the fact of the angry crowd may give us a clue and a possible hint to the solution to another mystery. Al-Maqrizi points out that the Sphinx was worshiped as an idol “responsible” for the floods of the Nile and, accordingly, productivity, which means that it can be considered, although not a god from the usual Egyptian pantheon, but a semi-divine being who could influence nature.
Lovecraft describes the Sphinx in his work “The Prisoner of the Pharaohs” as a terrible monster, which, under Pharaoh Khafre, had the terrible features knocked off the face of the statue and recreated something similar to a human face. A beautiful story, but it is just fiction and has no historical or factual basis.
It is also worth noting that in addition to the nose, the sphinx also lacks a ceremonial beard, the possible presence of which is evidenced by other smaller sphinxes found, as well as images and bas-reliefs that have reached us.
As for the origin, this is also one of the main secrets of the Egyptian Great Sphinx. It is surprising that although we attribute the Sphinx to ancient Egyptian culture, it may turn out to be even more ancient and carved by completely different people. Modern sources indicate that Khafre was its builder, but according to other versions, Khafre only found it, just as the future Pharaoh Thutmose found and dug up the Sphinx several centuries later. There is an interesting legend associated with this. They say that Thutmose, while walking in those places, dozed off in the shadow of the head of the sphinx protruding from the sands. In a dream, the monster appeared to the future heir to the Egyptian throne and asked to cleanse her stone statue of sand, in return promising to make Thutmose emperor. Thutmose did not need such a service, because it was written in his family to become a pharaoh after the death of his father, but he still fulfilled the wishes of the sphinx, and the Great Sphinx showed off for some time, “at full height” towering over the sand dunes and guarding the pyramid .
One of the versions about its origin seems completely absurd, but learning the details and thinking about the argumentation, you can begin to doubt traditional theories. This version goes like this: the Sphinx is actually a statue of the god Anubis with a jackal head, whose appearance was later changed, giving the appearance of one of the pharaohs ruling at that time. The basis of this theory is the discrepancy between the sizes of the body-base and head. We have already been convinced of the mathematical accuracy of the engineers of ancient Egypt, and therefore the version with a banal error definitely disappears.
Now only a miracle can shed light on the origin of this monumental sculpture and the history of the nose. Only a handwritten explanation found, perhaps in one of the sealed and unexplored rooms of ancient tombs, can reveal the secret of the Egyptian Sphinx.
Who first comes to mind when we look at the Egyptian Sphinx guarding the tombs of the pharaohs? Probably, after all, a lion is a big cat. But the ancient Egyptians attached a variety of heads to it: sphinxes with the heads of a bull, a falcon and even a crocodile are known. But the most recognizable appearance is the sphinx with the head of a man, usually one of the rulers of Egypt.
The Great Sphinx of Giza was built about 3 thousand years ago, although some researchers give a different figure - 5 thousand years. Based on traces of water erosion, it was possible to establish that the head of the Sphinx was carved later on a ready-made statue. Pharaoh Khafra built his pyramid not far from the Sphinx and wanted the features of his royal face to be imprinted on the majestic monument. Thus, he hoped to forever remain in the memory of posterity - a formidable giant over whom time has no power. It is unlikely that humanity will know what the face of the Sphinx actually was and who its real creator was.
For several thousand years, the inexorable sands covered the huge statue until only the neck and head remained visible. However, around 1400 BC, luck smiled on the Sphinx. Tired of hunting, Pharaoh Thutmose IV fell asleep in the shadow of the Sphinx and had a dream: whoever digs up the Sphinx will become the greatest ruler of Egypt. Thutmose ordered to immediately clear the sand from the statue, but only managed to dig out the paws and the front part. These were times when the pharaohs themselves led the army on campaigns, and it is not surprising that they died young. Thutmose's reign - although glorious - lasted just under 10 years, after which the Sphinx was once again consigned to oblivion.
Oddly enough, the Egyptians were rather indifferent to the fate of their great work of art, and only the British, who came to Egypt in 1817, finally dug it up. The statue was very poorly preserved; it was the face that suffered the most. Even then, researchers were interested in the question: where did the nose of the Great Sphinx go? According to a beautiful legend, he was repulsed by a cannon shot from Napoleon's army. But this is just the boasting of the French.
Sketches from earlier travelers prove that the Sphinx's nose was knocked off as early as the 15th century. Who decided to do such a barbaric act? This matter is on the conscience of the Muslim fanatic Muhammad Saim al-Dah. As you know, Islam prohibits the worship of idols and does not allow the depiction of human faces. Apparently, Muhammad was outraged by such a violation and corrected it for the glory of Allah. This version has a scientific basis: traces of human intervention were found in the lower part of the Sphinx’s nose, which clearly prove that the Sphinx’s nose was broken on purpose.
Records were also found in Arabic, according to which local residents caught and killed the vandal - they simply stoned him to death. He was buried right on the spot - between the paws of the Sphinx he mutilated. However, the Egyptians were no longer able to attach the nose back - they were unable to repeat the feat of the ancient sculptors.
True, skeptics also doubt this legend, saying that one person is not able to not only chip off such a large piece of stone, but even climb the giant monument. In this case, we are left with the most boring version - the nose of the ancient Sphinx was lost due to thousands of years of exposure to water and wind. After all, the Sphinx statue, although colossal in size, is made not of hard rock, but of soft limestone.
What is so interesting about the lost nose of the Sphinx? And the fact that repeated attempts were made to reconstruct it. Using computer calculations, scientists from different countries tried to simulate the original face of the Sphinx statue - and everyone came to completely different results. Some claim that the profile was originally Egyptian, others find Mongoloid features in it, and some scientists say that the face of the Sphinx belongs to a Negroid type of person!
On the western bank of the Nile River, located in Giza, is located one of the most ancient and famous sculptures on planet Earth - the Great Sphinx. It represents a lion lying on the sand. The face is given a resemblance to Khafre, a pharaoh who lived many millennia ago. But scientists say it could also be a statue of a creature from ancient mythology, with the body of a lion, the head of a woman and the wings of a bird. The length of the statue is 73 meters and the height is 20 meters.
Tourists from all over the world come here every year to see the Sphinx. The sculpture has its own peculiarity - the absence of a nose. Where did he go? So why doesn't the Sphinx have a nose? We'll explain it to you.
There is no 100% accurate answer to this question, but there are a large number of different versions.
First. You can hear that this part of the face was shot down during the war between the Turks and Napoleon at the end of the 18th century, by a cannonball. Later in this story both the British and the Arabs appeared. However, this is not at all true. After all, drawings were found that were dated 1737, and in them the Sphinx no longer had a nose.
Second. Long ago, among the Egyptians, the Sphinx was a kind of talisman. According to the Cairo historian Al-Makrizi, in the 14th century, a Sufi fanatic (one of the many denominations of Islam) saw the Egyptians making gifts to sculpture, in the hope of a rich harvest. He was furious and broke off the nose of an Egyptian idol. When people found out about this, they simply tore him to pieces. By the way, many scientists agree with this version.
Third. The Sphinx “lost” its nose due to water erosion. Robert Schoch, a professor of geology from Boston, claims that in support of this there are horizontal grooves that encircle the entire perimeter of the statue. In addition, thousands of years ago this area had a completely different climate, with rain falling almost constantly.
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