The Sphinx. One of the largest - and most mysterious - monuments of
the ancient world. But what secrets does this massive stone beast hide?
And could there possibly be more than one out there?
When most people think of Ancient Egypt, they probably think of the Pyramids - and they’re
definitely the biggest attraction in the north African country.
But if you think they’re the oldest evidence of Ancient Egypt’s archaeological prowess,
think again - while the Great Pyramid of Egypt is estimated to have been built during the Fourth
Dynasty around 4500 years ago, it’s believed the Great Sphinx of Giza might be even older. How old?
While some evidence points to it being roughly the same age, maybe a hundred years or so older,
other scientists have examined the precipitation-induced weathering
on the upper levels of the massive statue and concluded that it could have been as much as two
thousand years older than the pyramids. This would make it one of the oldest intact structures in the
world - although many Egyptology experts are skeptical about this possibility.
And its size only makes it more impressive.
The Sphinx is a whopping 240 feet long, stretching from its front paws to its tail, and stands 66
feet high and 62 feet wide. While it’s dwarfed by the biggest pyramids, one of the most impressive
things about it is that it seems to be made out of one solid piece of rock. Unlike many of the
great architectural achievements of the era, it’s not put together from countless pieces of
carefully arranged rocks - it’s carved from the bedrock itself, reinforced with limestone blocks,
and was painstakingly sculpted by countless artisans into the impressive beast it is today.
But what kind of beast is it, exactly?
The Sphinx is an impressive creature, with the face of a man, the body of a lion,
and is sometimes depicted with the wings of an eagle. While no wings are visible on the
Great Sphinx, many mythological depictions exist both in Egyptian architecture and
crafts and in other cultures. The creature frequently appears in Greek mythology - a
female figure who was ruthlessly clever and played a key role in the tragedy of
Oedipus. It’s likely the Greeks learned about this creature from the Ancient Egyptians,
and from there it spread around the world. While depictions vary, today the Sphinx is most
frequently portrayed as a ruthless but honorable beast - one who likes to pose riddles to those
who come across. Once you answer the riddle you are either awarded with safe passage if
you solved it succesfully or a quick trip down the Sphinx’s gullet if you were unsuccessful.
And the most famous riddle was a tricky one.
According to Greek mythology, the Sphinx guarded the entry to the city of Thebes,
and its riddle was a twisty and metaphysical one. Try it on for size - what walks on
four legs in the morning, two legs in the afternoon, and three legs in the evening? No,
it’s not a strange creature that grows and sheds legs frequently - although would that really be
out of place in Greek mythology? It’s man. In the morning - early childhood - we crawl around on
all fours. As we grow to adulthood, we walk on two legs in the “Afternoon” of life. And
as we hit the evening - old age - we gain a third leg in the form of a helpful cane.
Would you have gotten it - or would the Sphinx have been eating well that day?
But if the most famous Sphinx was female - why is the one in Giza clearly male?
The statue is several thousand years old, so it’s not possible to know exactly what it looked
like when it was first carved. But through recreations and other historical documents,
it became clear that it looked a lot like the Pharaoh Khafre - the king of Egypt when
the Sphinx was built. So it’s likely the statue was designed as a tribute to him,
since the creatures were associated with wisdom, power, and ferocity. Some Pharaohs might be okay
with an ordinary pyramid, but Khafre wanted to be immortalized as a massive mythological cat-man.
But the entire story of the Sphinx’s discovery is fascinating in itself.
A few thousand years can change a landscape a great deal, and over the years the statue
became buried under tons of sand. Even during the Greco-Roman area, when Giza was a tourist
destination, the statue had to be cleared of sand periodically. Only its head was visible
for the most part - until 1817, when the first modern excavation fully exposed it to the world
and let today’s archaeologists and tourists gaze upon the massive beast for the first
time. And many were shocked by just how large - and how complete - the ancient statue was.
While the core body is still intact, much of the finer details of the statue have been lost due
to the centuries of sand erosion it had to endure. But it’s most distinct and missing feature,
its nose, is believed to have been whacked off the statue at some point between the
third and tenth centuries AD. No one is sure why - theories range from current
residents trying to conceal the identity and appearance of the man the Sphinx was based on,
to robbers looking to claim pieces of the famous statue, or even a botched repair
job. But the most common theory is that it was damaged by the rulers of the era - along with
the noses of many other Egyptian statues - as a statement against worshiping previous rulers.
And it’s part of a much larger complex.
It sounds like a haunted video game level - the Giza Necropolis. But in reality,
it’s one of the most important archaeological sites in the world, containing dozens of pyramids
including the two largest ones which celebrate the legacies of Khufu and Khafre. These two were
built in roughly the same era that the Sphinx is believed to be from, making this the golden age of
Egyptian archaeology. The Sphinx and these two massive pyramids are surrounded by cemeteries,
small pyramids, temples, and statues that are yet to be fully explored.
But for those looking for more information on it, they may be out of luck.
Unlike the pyramids, there are surprisingly few references to to the Sphinx in the writing
of the ancient Egyptians. In fact, there are a grand total of…none. The Greeks were the
ones who created the word “Sphinx” to reference the creature. Though a few Egyptian documents
do refer to what we believe to be the Sphinx, referring to it as the “Horus of the Horizon”.
This gives more credence to the idea that it was designed to cast the Pharaoh of the
era in the image of a great God, but as for who built it or what it was supposed to represent,
we’re out of luck. Unlike the pyramids, it doesn’t seem to have any purpose beyond looking
impressive and maybe spooking graverobbers who try their luck in the Necropolis.
And back then, it likely looked extremely different.
Today, the Sphinx looks mostly beige and brown, not that different from the color of the massive
swaths of sand surrounding it. But careful analysis of the Sphinx’s surface revealed
something fascinating - dulled pigments of blue, red, and yellow. This means that the
Sphinx was probably painted after it was built - and was likely the most spectacular and colorful
sight in the entire Necropolis. It also had a beard at one point - a piece of a traditional
beard piece carved in stone was found in Giza and is now on display at the British Museum
in London. However, it’s assumed that this might have been a later addition,
not part of the original design, because there’s no sign of damage on the chin of
the Sphinx. Maybe a later Pharaoh known for his beard wanted it to look a little more like him?
And it wasn’t the only time a Pharaoh made a mark on the Sphinx.
Today, a large granite block sits between the two outstretched paws of the Sphinx. Those who
get close will find a detailed inscription that, when translated, proclaims the sovereignty of the
ruler over his domain. But this wasn’t part of the original design - it was placed there over a
thousand years after the Sphinx was first built. When Pharaoh Thutmose IV conducted the first
excavation of the Sphinx after it had been covered by sand in the year 1401 BCE, he added the brick
to make his mark on the statue. Now known as the Dream Stele, it still stands there today - because
the difference between defacing a statue with your vanity project and being a key part of a
historic site is only a few thousand years. But there’s one theory about the Sphinx that
hasn’t been proven - but it may be the biggest bombshell yet.
Could there be another Sphinx out there?
The year was 2018 when construction workers were excavating the area under the road
between the temples of Karnak and Luxor. They were expecting to find dirt, sand,
and maybe some architectural fragments - but instead they struck something much bigger.
As they began removing the sand around the structure so they could get a better look,
it became clear that it was a statue that resembled a lion’s body with a human head.
Until now all of the rumours about there being another Sphinx statue were baseless. This statue
was buried deep in the sand, and any excavation process would be long and tricky, but early
examination didn’t make it seem like it would be a twin of the Sphinx - it was much smaller. But
that didn’t stop curious visitors from trying to catch a glimpse of the mystery statue.
But is something much bigger hiding out there?
Why do so many people believe there’s a second Sphinx out there? Well, the biggest reason is
that the original was largely hidden under the sands of Egypt for hundreds of years, at times
being completely covered. Thousands of years of sandstorms can wash away a lot of history,
and while the Gaza Necropolis has been largely explored due to its significance, the same can’t
be said about many other ancient cities that surround Giza. And with many of the pyramids
having hidden chambers, ancient security systems, and other mysteries, some conspiracy theorists are
asking - why not the Sphinx too? It’s long been speculated that the Sphinx might have hidden
chambers underneath it. But an even more popular conspiracy speculates that it might have a twin.
And the source of this? One of the kings of conspiracies.
The TV show Ancient Aliens is famous - or in some circles, infamous - for its claims of alien
involvement in many ancient architectural achievements. But while these claims are
controversial, they seem to catch on - and when they addressed the topic of the Second Sphinx,
they had lore from ancient Egyptian times to fall back on. While the Sphinx itself was
never mentioned by name, the figures believed to be the Sphinx are mentioned in the ancient
Egyptian religions text named the Amduat. The text was represented in scenes painted in the tomb of
Amenhotep II - and it supposedly mentions a second Sphinx somewhere facing to the west.
But is this really possible?
Possible is different from likely. The images on the Amduat show one Sphinx in the front of
the Necropolis and another one at the back, depicted as guardians of the ancient site.
But it’s possible that the second one was just an artistic flourish, showing the mystical creature’s
eyes covering every inch of the area. If it does exist, we have a vague idea of where it would
be - so why hasn’t it been dug up yet? The most likely explanation is that it isn’t there - at
least not like it used to be. It takes an enormous amount of luck to survive four thousand years in
a rough environment like the deserts of Egypt, and that doesn’t include the many invasions and
foreign explorers who may have damaged, destroyed, or looted any monument in the ensuing millennia.
So while it’s unlikely that the Sphinx has a twin that’s still standing,
it’s possible explorers could find the foundation or ruins of another Sphinx buried deep down below.
But there’s one more possibility.
While the painting depicts the second Sphinx in a specific place,
it’s possible that was just a vague artistic design choice. In reality,
a second Sphinx could be outside the Giza Necropolis, in areas that haven’t been fully
excavated for thousands of years. It might be unlikely that no one’s stumbled upon it until now,
but unlikely isn’t impossible. Who knows what’s lurking below the sand?
Want to learn more about one of the craziest theories out there? Check out
“Evidence That Points To Egyptian Pharaohs Being Aliens” or watch this video instead!