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 west bank 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 official version 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 French Institute Egyptology, the sculpture has survived at least 4 restorations during its existence. One day strong winds and sandstorms erased 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, obvious manifestations of traits Negroid race on the face of the Sphinx are, rather, a denying argument. Experts resorting to computer technologies, 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 " rising sun"or they believed that it was dedicated to the Nile. Known fact the only thing that became 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 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 certain young photographer wanted to make unique pictures, 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. magical power 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 as the drawings show more early 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 Great Sphinx. Nearby, on the plateau, there is 3 famous pyramids, among which . All of them are located within walking distance and do not require additional transport, according to reviews from tourists.
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 just part of architectural ensemble 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. The mystery of the nose Egyptian Sphinx open 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. Beautiful story but that's just fiction, which 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. Related to this interesting legend. 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 destined 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, “in full height” towering over sand dunes and the guardian of 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.
One of the main questions in the history of existence architectural monuments Ancient Egypt is the reason why Great Sphinx on the Giza plateau near the pyramids of Ancient Egypt was left without a nose. Scientists tend to blame this Napoleon's troops , who, by order of the emperor, used the face of the wakeful guardian of the desert as a target for shooting. As a result, the half-man, half-lion found himself without a nose, reaching the height of a man. This allegedly happened in the period from 1799 to 1801 during Egyptian campaign French army. Is this so and what reliable historical documented information exists in favor of this version?
Sphinx Prophecy
It is reliably known that in ancient times the body of the huge Sphinx with huge paws was covered with sand right up to its face. There is a legend that it was in this state that Thutmose IV found him, not yet being a pharaoh. The fact is that he was the 11th son in the family, and the throne, as is known, was inherited by the very first child male line, and his chances were very small.
While walking in the desert, the king dozed in the shadow of the huge Sphinx and had a dream in which he asked him to clear it of sand because he was having difficulty breathing. In exchange, he promised to make him the pharaoh of Ancient Egypt as soon as possible. Thutmose laughed because he knew his position very well. But I decided to clean the Sphinx after all. After which he ordered the pedestal of the lion with the head of a man to be decorated with stone bas-reliefs telling the story. The Sphinx's body was completely freed from sand only when archaeological excavations in the 19th century. This is evidenced by numerous engravings and descriptions of famous European artists of that time. The body was found to be 57 m long and 20 m wide.
The gaze of the impenetrable bulk of the Great Sphinx is turned to the East. Since ancient times, the Arabs called this huge sculpture “ Father of Horror «.
Did Napoleon change the history of Ancient Egypt?
Postage Stamp"Sphinx and Pyramids", 1910Nowadays, even after restoration work, you can see on the face of the Sphinx, which, according to scientists, repeats external features Pharaoh Khafre, chips in the stone and cracks. Has time really left its traces? Modern historians argue that not only the image of the great architectural monument of Ancient Egypt, but also the history of civilization was significantly distorted by order of the Emperor of France.
It is known that the emperor respected the history of the great state. But in order to create his own image and in order to leave his mark on the chronology of Ancient Egypt, he ordered the names on the tombs of the pharaohs and from numerous architectural masterpieces to be erased.
The sources indicate:
"The European movement began in Egypt with late XVIII century since the famous expedition of the French Emperor Napoleon. His team included archaeological scientists, but this did not stop them from changing history ancient civilization. Napoleon ordered cannon batteries to be fired at the Sphinx's face.".
But here the question arises: where did guns appear in the French army in the 18th century, when they had not yet been invented?
On the contrary, the French campaign in Egypt began rapid development science of Egyptology. Napoleon's expedition is attempting to decipher the writing of Ancient Egypt.
Could engage in barbarism against the ancients cultural monuments scientists who came to Napoleon's conclusion: "Bring Egypt into the light."
The conclusion of his words was the export of thousands of historical relics of Ancient Egypt to France. Under the guise of a scientific expedition, they were transferred for storage to European museums, where they are kept to this day.
Champollion Expedition: Egyptian hieroglyphs deciphered
In his scientific work Francois Champollion, who went with scientific expedition to Egypt, about half a century after Napoleon's visit, abandoned the Horapolon theory. Let us recall that the first attempts to decipher ancient Egyptian writing were made a millennium before.
The beginning of research in the field of studying Egyptian hieroglyphs was laid by the French scientist Horapolon. He wrote the first explanations of the writing of Ancient Egypt, which contained explanatory drawings for each hieroglyph.
So is it possible to say after this that the French were so “careless” about the architectural monuments of ancient civilization in connection with these scientific discoveries?
Although events scientific discovery Champollion is behind the circumstances of Napoleon's Egyptian campaign, but is probable evidence that the French emperor was not involved in the deprivation of the Sphinx's nose.
Napoleon is not to blame!
The key work in researching the circumstances of the destruction of the face of the Sphinx was a book about the history of Ancient Egypt by Tom Holmberg. He provides evidence that the accusation of Napoleon desecrating an Egyptian shrine during the campaign is nothing more than fiction. In fact, when the French came to Egypt in 1789, they already discovered the Sphinx in this condition. The researcher says that in fact the head of a human lion was used as a target for firing cannons at the Mamluks, who at one time captured Egypt. This is evidenced, for example, by an engraving published by the traveler Frederik Norden in 1755. There are also Arabic texts that say that the Sphinx’s nose was shot off by an Arab fanatic back in early XIV century.
The English scientist Pierre Belon, who visited the country in 1546 to conduct research on the architecture of Ancient Egypt, noted that their condition had deteriorated significantly. Researcher Leslie Griner, after visiting the sights of Egypt, wrote in his scientific article: “The Great Sphinx still dominates the Giza plateau, but is no longer as beautiful as it was painted by Abdel Latif in 1200.”
The only theory left is the one that appeared in the historical bulletin. University of London Schools oriental studies. According to it, scientists confirm the version that the appearance of the Egyptian architectural monument was damaged by the Arab fanatic Muhammad Saim Al-Dahrom in 1378. This event is also described in the work of the Egyptian researcher Selim Hassan “The Sphinx: History and Modernity” (1949). So Napoleon can be blamed for anything, but not for bad attitude to Egyptian shrines. And the Sphinx's nose disappeared under completely different circumstances.
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 greatest ruler 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 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 is known, Islam prohibits the worship of idols and does not allow depicting human faces. Apparently, Muhammad was outraged by such a violation and corrected it for the glory of Allah. This version has 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 on Arabic, according to which local residents They 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 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!
The Sphinx of Giza is one of the oldest, largest and most mysterious monuments ever created by man. Disputes about its origin are still ongoing. We collected 10 little known facts about a majestic monument in the Sahara Desert.
1. The Great Sphinx of Giza is not a Sphinx
Experts say that the Egyptian Sphinx cannot be called a traditional image of the Sphinx. In classical Greek mythology The sphinx was described as having the body of a lion, the head of a woman, and the wings of a bird. There is actually a sculpture of an androsphinx at Giza, as it has no wings.
2. Initially, the sculpture had several other names
The ancient Egyptians did not originally call this giant creature the "Great Sphinx". The text on the "Dream Stele", dating from around 1400 BC, refers to the Sphinx as the "Statue of the Great Khepri". When the future pharaoh Thutmose IV slept next to her, he had a dream in which the god Khepri-Ra-Atum came to him and asked him to free the statue from the sand, and in return promised that Thutmose would become the ruler of all Egypt. Thutmose IV unearthed the statue, which had been covered with sand over centuries, which then became known as Horem-Akhet, which translates as “Horus on the horizon.” Medieval Egyptians called the Sphinx "balkhib" and "bilhou".
3. Nobody knows who built the Sphinx
Even today people don't know exact age this statue, and modern archaeologists argue about who could have created it. The most popular theory states that the Sphinx arose during the reign of Khafre (fourth dynasty Ancient kingdom), i.e. The age of the statue dates back to approximately 2500 BC.
This pharaoh is credited with creating the Pyramid of Khafre, as well as the necropolis of Giza and a number of ritual temples. The proximity of these structures to the Sphinx has prompted a number of archaeologists to believe that it was Khafre who ordered the construction of the majestic monument with his face.
Other scientists believe that the statue is much older than the pyramid. They argue that the face and head of the statue show signs of obvious water damage and theorize that the Great Sphinx already existed during an era when the region faced extensive flooding (6th millennium BC).
4. Whoever built the Sphinx ran away from it headlong after the construction was completed
American archaeologist Mark Lehner and Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass discovered large stone blocks, tool sets and even fossilized dinners under a layer of sand. This clearly indicates that the workers were in such a hurry to get away that they did not even take their tools with them.
5. The laborers who built the statue were well fed
Most scholars think that the people who built the Sphinx were slaves. However, their diet suggests something completely different. Excavations led by Mark Lehner revealed that workers regularly dined on beef, lamb and goat.
6. The Sphinx was once covered in paint
Although the Sphinx is now a sandy gray color, it was once completely covered in bright paint. Remnants of red paint can still be found on the face of the statue, and there are traces of blue and yellow paint on the Sphinx's body.
7. The sculpture was buried under sand for a long time
The Great Sphinx of Giza has been victimized several times quicksand Egyptian desert during its long existence. The first known restoration of the sphinx, which was almost completely buried under sand, occurred shortly before the 14th century BC, thanks to Thutmose IV, who soon after became Egyptian pharaoh. Three millennia later, the statue was again buried under the sands. Until the 19th century, the statue's front paws were deep below the desert surface. The Sphinx was completely excavated in the 1920s.
8. The Sphinx lost her headdress in the 1920s
During the last restoration, part of the Great Sphinx's famous headdress fell off and its head and neck were seriously damaged. The Egyptian government hired a team of engineers to restore the statue in 1931. But that restoration used soft limestone, and in 1988, a 320-kilogram piece of the shoulder fell off, nearly killing a German reporter. After this, the Egyptian government again began restoration work.
9. After the construction of the Sphinx, there was a cult that worshiped it for a long time
Thanks to the mystical vision of Thutmose IV, who became pharaoh after unearthing a giant statue, a whole cult of Sphinx worship arose in the 14th century BC. The pharaohs who ruled during the New Kingdom even built new temples from which the Great Sphinx could be seen and worshiped.
10. The Egyptian sphinx is much kinder than the Greek one
The Sphinx's modern reputation as a cruel creature comes from Greek mythology, not Egyptian mythology. IN Greek myths The Sphinx is mentioned in connection with a meeting with Oedipus, to whom he asked a supposedly unsolvable riddle. In ancient Egyptian culture, the Sphinx was considered more benevolent.
11. It’s not Napoleon’s fault that the Sphinx doesn’t have a nose
The mystery of the Great Sphinx's missing nose has given rise to all sorts of myths and theories. One of the most common legends says that Napoleon Bonaparte ordered the nose of the statue to be broken off in a fit of pride. However, early sketches of the Sphinx show that the statue lost its nose before the birth of the French emperor.
12. The Sphinx was once bearded
Today, the remains of the Great Sphinx's beard, which were removed from the statue due to severe erosion, are kept in British Museum and in the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, established in Cairo in 1858. However, French archaeologist Vasil Dobrev claims that the statue was not bearded from the very beginning, and the beard was added later. Dobrev argues that removing the beard, if it had been a component of the statue to begin with, would have damaged the statue's chin.
13. The Great Sphinx is the most ancient statue, but not the most ancient sphinx
The Great Sphinx of Giza is considered the oldest monumental sculpture in human history. If the statue is considered to date from Khafre's reign, the smaller sphinxes depicting his half-brother Djedefre and sister Netefere II are older.
14. Sphinx - the largest statue
The Sphinx, which is 72 meters long and 20 meters high, is considered the largest monolithic statue on the planet.
15. Several astronomical theories are associated with the Sphinx
The mystery of the Great Sphinx of Giza has led to a number of theories about the ancient Egyptians' supernatural understanding of the cosmos. Some scientists, such as Lehner, believe that the Sphinx with the pyramids of Giza is a giant capture and recycling machine solar energy. Another theory notes the coincidence of the Sphinx, the pyramids and the Nile River with the stars of the constellations Leo and Orion.