Mysteries Of Egypt: Who Built The Great Sphinx Of Giza?
The Great Sphinx of Giza is a famous statue that is linked ancient Egypt. The Sphinx of Giza is a statue of a mythical creature resembling a lion with the head of an Egyptian King. The statue was created out of a limestone on the Giza plateau which is on the west bank of the Nile in Giza. It probably represents King Khafra who ruled the Old Kingdom of Egypt between 2558 and 2532 BCE although some historian believes the statue was created by Djedefre, Khafra’s brother who tried to usurp power following the death of Khufu and created the Great Pyramid. It remains the oldest known monument sculpture in Egypt.
The Origin Of The Great Sphinx Of Giza: A Subject Of Debate
The basic facts about the Sphinx of Giza are subject to debate such as to when it was built, by whom, and for what purpose. Scholars and historians remain in disagreement over who had the Sphinx of Giza carved and when it was created, but all agree that it is one of the most impressive pieces of work and remains one of the largest sculptures in the world. Many theories have been put forward aE attempt to answer these questions, but few come close to responding to these questions leading to the Riddle of Sphinx.
What Was The Original Name Of The Sphinx?
It is not possible to identify the name that the creators of Sphinx gave to the statues as Sphinx of Giza does not appear in any literature of the Old Egyptian Kingdom. Also, no inscription has details about the construction of the statue or its original purpose. The name Sphinx was given to the sculpture about 2000 years ago after the commonly accepted date of its construction. The Sphinx of Giza was known as Horemakhet during the New Kingdom of Egypt associating it with the God Horus. The name Sphinx is an English word which was borrowed from a Greek verb which translates to Greek Sphinx who killed those who failed to answer her riddle.
The Construction Of The Great Sphinx of Giza
According to the most popular belief, the Great Sphinx of Giza is estimated to have been carved around 2500 BCE by Pharaoh Khafra who built the Great Pyramid at Giza. Giza might have been chosen as the appropriate site for the building of the Sphinx since it was popular with the rulers during the Early Dynasty Period of Egypt. King Khufu, who ascended the throne in 2589 BCE, was good at working stones and chose Giza to showcase his work by building the Great Pyramid. When his son Khafra succeeded him, he began his own pyramid complex next to his fathers'. The Sphinx of Giza is credited to Khefra because the face of the statue resembles his face. Some theories suggest that Khefra intended to create a pyramid and not a statue but opted for a statue when the large mass of rock was considered unsuitable for the construction of a pyramid complex.
Mysteries And Myths Of The Sphinx
While the Sphinx of Giza is well known today, one may assume that it was equally famous in antiquity, but that is not the case. There is no mention of it in the Egyptian inscriptions or any material unearthed in Giza. The origin of Sphinx of Giza is essentially unknown and is only based on several theories. The statue is thought to have supernatural powers with tunnels beneath it which connect to the subterranean network. The Sphinx of Giza in itself is an embodiment of antiquity and mystery itself.
