The mysterious Egyptian megalith In 1998, an expedition of scientists led by Fred Wendorf, an American professor of anthropology from Southern Methodist University, discovered in the province of Aswan in southern Egypt, in the area of ​​​​the town of Nabta Playa, laid out from large

Egypt is a country that is still shrouded in a lot of mysteries that attract tourists from all over the planet. Perhaps one of the most important secrets of this state is the great Sphinx, the statue of which 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 nose that fell off, according to calculations, was the size of an average human height. Not a single photo can convey the full grandeur of this stunning ancient monument.

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

General information

The Egyptian Sphinx is located on the west coast of the Nile River, and its head faces the sunrise. For many thousands of years, the gaze of this silent witness to the history of the land 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 leisurely course.

The Sphinx itself is made of monolithic limestone, which is a fragment of the base of the Giza plateau. The statue represents a huge mysterious creature with the body of a lion and the head of a man. Many have probably seen this grandiose building in photographs 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 solar deity. In the drawings of the ancient Egyptians, the pharaoh was often depicted as a lion, attacking the enemies of the state and exterminating them. It was on the basis of these beliefs that the version was built that the great Sphinx is a kind of mystical guard protecting the peace of the rulers buried in the tombs of the Giza Valley.

It is still not known what the inhabitants of Ancient Egypt called the Sphinx. It is believed that the word “sphinx” itself is of Greek origin and is literally translated as “strangler.” In some Arabic texts, in particular in the famous collection “A Thousand and One Nights,” the Sphinx is called nothing less than “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 important mystery that the Egyptian Sphinx conceals is who, when and why erected such a grandiose monument. In ancient papyri found by historians, one 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 careful about the costs of this or that business). not in any source. The historian Pliny the Elder mentioned it for the first time in his writings, but this was already at the beginning of our era. He notes that the Sphinx, located in Egypt, has been reconstructed and cleaned of sand several times. It is precisely the fact that not a single source has yet been found that explains the origin of this monument, which has given rise to countless versions, opinions and guesses as to who built it and why.

Great Sphinx fits perfectly into the complex of buildings located on the Giza plateau. The creation of this complex dates back to the reign of the IV dynasty of kings. Actually, it itself 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 in Giza was erected during the reign of Pharaoh Khafre - approximately 2500 BC. In support of this hypothesis, historians point to the similarity of the limestone blocks used in the construction of the pyramid of Khafre and the Sphinx, as well as the image of the ruler himself, which was discovered not far from the building.

There is another, alternative version of the origin of the Sphinx, according to which its construction dates back to even more ancient times. A group of Egyptologists from Germany, who analyzed the erosion of the limestone, concluded that the monument was built around 7000 BC. There are also astronomical theories about 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 this day, is now badly damaged - neither time nor people have spared it. The face was especially damaged - in numerous photographs you can see that it is almost completely erased, and its features cannot be distinguished. The uraeus - a symbol of royal power, which is a cobra that wraps around its head - is irretrievably lost. The plat - the ceremonial headdress that descends from the head to the shoulders of the statue - is also partially destroyed. The beard, which is now not represented in in full. But where and under what circumstances the Sphinx’s nose disappeared, scientists are still arguing.

Damage to 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 one pious sheikh, who fulfilled the commandments of the Prophet Muhammad, prohibiting the depiction human face on works of art. And the Mamelukes used the head of the structure as a cannon target.

Today, in photos, videos 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 another reason to be amazed at the truly gigantic size of this structure.

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

Over the years of its existence, the Great Sphinx has more than once 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 the pharaohs Thutmose IV and Ramses II. Under Thutmose, the Great Sphinx was not only completely dug out of the sand, but also a huge granite arrow was installed in its paws. An inscription was carved on it, saying that the ruler was giving his body under the protection of the Sphinx so that it would rest under the sands of the Giza Valley and at some point be resurrected 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 back part of the statue was replaced with blocks, although previously the entire monument was monolithic. IN early XIX 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 a tourism object

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

Great Sphinx (Egypt) - description, history, location. Exact address, phone number, website. Tourist reviews, 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, this is also one of the most mysterious sculptures, because the mystery of the Sphinx has not yet been fully solved. The Sphinx is a creature with female 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 the west bank of the Nile, next to the Egyptian pyramids at Giza.

Almost everything related to the Egyptian Sphinx is controversial among scientists. Still unknown exact date the origin of this sculpture and it is completely unclear why the statue is now missing a nose.

The statue, made of limestone rock, 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 is controversial among scientists. The exact date of origin of this sculpture is still unknown and it is completely unclear why the statue is now missing a nose. The meaning of the word is also unknown: translated from Greek, “sphinx” means “strangler,” but what the ancient Egyptians meant in this name remains a mystery.

It was customary to depict Egyptian pharaohs as a formidable lion who would not spare a single enemy. That is why it is believed that the Sphinx guards the peace of the buried pharaohs. The author of the sculpture is unknown, but many researchers believe that it is Khafre. True, this judgment is very controversial. Supporters of the theory refer to the fact that the stones of the sculpture and the nearby pyramid of Khafre 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, this detail once existed, but the reason for its disappearance is still unknown. Perhaps the nose was lost during the battle of Napoleon's troops with the Turks in 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 prohibit the depiction of a human face.

The Sphinx not only lacks a nose, but also a false ceremonial beard. Her story is also controversial 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 to subsequently install the parts.

The destruction of the sculpture and its subsequent restoration helped scientists find interesting facts. For example, Japanese archaeologists came to the conclusion that the Sphinx was built before the pyramids. In addition, they discovered a tunnel under the left paw of the statue leading towards the Pyramid of Khafre. Interestingly, this tunnel was first mentioned by Soviet researchers.

For a long time, the mysterious sculpture was under a thick layer of sand. The first attempts to dig up the Sphinx were made in ancient times by Thutmose IV and Ramses II. Is it true, special success they didn't reach. Only in 1817 was the Sphinx's chest freed, and more than 100 years later the statue was completely excavated.

Address: Nazlet El-Semman, Al Haram, Giza

When people talk about places where developed ancient civilizations existed, the first thing that comes to mind is Ancient Egypt. This country, like a magician's top hat, keeps many mysteries and secrets. The pyramid complex, located in a valley near Cairo, is one of them. But it’s not just the burial places of Egypt’s ancient rulers that attract millions of tourists to this valley every year. The greatest interest among them and among scientists is the mysterious figure of the Great Sphinx, which is a symbol of Egypt and a world cultural and historical heritage.

On the West Bank great river Nile, in the city of Giza, located in the southwestern suburbs of Cairo, not far from the Pyramid of Pharaoh Khafre, there is a sculpture of the Sphinx, the oldest of all surviving monumental sculptures. Carved by the hands of ancient craftsmen from a huge limestone rock, it represents a figure with the body of a lion and the head of a man. The eyes of this mythical entity are directed to the place on the horizon above which, on the days of the seasonal equinoxes, the sun appears, revered by the ancient Egyptians as the highest deity. The dimensions of the Great Sphinx are amazing: the height exceeds 20 meters, and the length of the mighty body is more than 72 meters.

The mystery of the origin of the Sphinx.

For many centuries, the mystery of the origin of the Sphinx statue in Egypt haunts adventurers, scientists, tourists, poets and writers. Despite the fact that historians have been trying for centuries to figure out when and by whom, and most importantly, why this grandiose structure was erected, they have not yet been able to come closer to the answer. Ancient papyri contain detailed evidence of the construction of many pyramids, and the names of those who participated in their creation are mentioned. However, no such data was found about the Sphinx, which gave rise to disagreements in the interpretation of the age and purpose of the construction of this monument.

The first recorded historical mention of him is considered to be the writings of Pliny the Elder, dating back to the beginning of the first century AD. In them, the ancient Roman writer and historian noted that regular work was carried out to clear the sand from the Sphinx statue in Egypt. It is noteworthy that even the real name of the monument has not been preserved. And the name by which it is now known is of Greek origin and means “strangler.” Although many Egyptologists are inclined to believe that his name means “image of Being” or “image of God.”

Much controversy arises in the scientific world about the age of the Sphinx. Some researchers believe that the similarity of the materials from which the monument was carved and the stone blocks used in the construction of the Pyramid of Khafre is indisputable evidence of their same age, i.e. they date back to 2500 BC. However, in the early 90s of the 20th century, a group of Japanese archaeologists, while studying the Sphinx, came to a stunning conclusion: traces of processing left on the stone indicate more early origin monument. This fact is confirmed by geological studies based on the influence of erosion on the surface of the Sphinx, which allowed the 70th century BC to be considered the moment when the monument appeared. And the research of hydrologists who studied the influence of rain flows on the limestone from which the monument was created pushed back its age by another 3-4 millennia.

Still not consensus, whose head is on the body of the Egyptian Sphinx. According to some assumptions, earlier it was a statue of a lion, and the human face was carved much later. Some researchers attribute it to Pharaoh Khafre, citing the similarity of the statue with sculptural images of the pharaohs of the VI dynasty. Others suggest that this is the image of Cheops, and still others - great Cleopatra. There is also a fantastic assumption that this is one of the rulers of the mythical Atlantis.

For millennia, time ruled over the appearance of the Great Sphinx. For for many years The cobra, a symbol of divine power, placed on the forehead of the statue, collapsed and disappeared, and the festive headdress covering the head was partially destroyed. Unfortunately, man also had a hand in this. Wanting to fulfill the behests left to Muslims by the Prophet Muhammad, one of the rulers in the 14th century ordered the nose of the sculpture to be broken off. Shots from cannons in XVIII century severely damaged his face, and soldiers of the Napoleonic army at the beginning of the 19th century used the Sphinx as a target during shooting practice. Later, when research was carried out in the Valley of the Pyramids, a false beard was cut off from the face of the Sphinx statue in Egypt, fragments of which are kept in the Cairo and British Museums. Today on the state ancient monument influenced by car exhaust fumes and nearby lime factories. According to studies conducted over the past 20th century, the condition of the monument suffered more damage than in all the past millennia.

Restoration work.

Over the many centuries of the existence of the Sphinx, sands have repeatedly covered it. The first clearings, during which only the front paws were freed, were undertaken under Pharaoh Thutmose IV. To commemorate this, a memorial sign was placed between them. In addition to excavations, primitive restoration work was carried out to strengthen the lower part of the statue.

In 1817, Italian scientists managed to clear the sand from the chest of the Sphinx, but more than a hundred years passed before its complete liberation. This happened in 1925. At the end of the 80s of the 20th century, part of the right shoulder of the statue collapsed. During the restoration work, about 12,000 limestone blocks were replaced.

Geolocation work carried out by Japanese scientists in 1988 made it possible to discover a narrow tunnel starting under the left paw. It stretches in the direction of the pyramid of Khafre and goes deeper. A year later, during seismic exploration, a rectangular chamber was discovered located under the forelimbs of the Sphinx. All this indicates that the Great Sphinx is in no hurry to reveal all its secrets.

After restoration work was completed at the end of 2014, the ancient statue again became accessible to tourists. In the evening hours, the Sphinx greets visitors in several languages, which, together with the lighting, creates an incredible effect.

To preserve this magnificent structure for future descendants, the Egyptian government plans to build a glass sarcophagus over it to protect the historical and cultural monument from adverse conditions.

The Egyptian Sphinx hides many secrets and mysteries; no one knows for sure when and for what purposes this giant sculpture was built.

Vanishing Sphinx

Older than the pyramids

What is sick with the Sphinx?

Mysterious face

To confirm or refute the identification of the Sphinx with Khafre, a group of independent researchers involved the famous New York police officer Frank Domingo, who created portraits to identify suspects. After several months of work, Domingo concluded: “These two works of art depict two different persons. Frontal proportions - and in particular the angles and facial protrusions of side view“convince me that the Sphinx is not Khafre.”

Mother of fear

In his opinion, the lonely figure of the Sphinx looks very strange. The surface of the place where, according to the scientist’s assumption, the second sculpture should be located, rises several meters above the Sphinx. “It is logical to assume that the statue is simply hidden from our eyes under a layer of sand,” Al-Shamaa is convinced. The archaeologist gives several arguments in support of his theory. Ash-Shamaa recalls that between the front paws of the Sphinx there is a granite stele on which two statues are depicted; There is also a limestone tablet that says that one of the statues was struck by lightning and destroyed.

Secret room

Some researchers are still confident in the existence of a “secret room”. They remember how Edgar Cayce predicted that one day in Egypt, under right paw The Sphinx will find a room called the “Hall of Testimonies” or “Hall of Chronicles.” The information stored in the “secret room” will tell humanity about a highly developed civilization that existed millions of years ago. In 1989, a group of Japanese scientists using a radar method discovered a narrow tunnel under the left paw of the Sphinx, extending towards the Pyramid of Khafre, and a cavity of impressive size was found northwest of the Queen’s Chamber.