Why the Great Sphinx
in Giza, Egypt is special

The Sphinx has one of the world's most recognized faces and has been - along with its neighboring Pyramids - an icon of Egypt for thousands of years. Yet, no one knows for certain when it was built - and why and by whom.

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Great Sphinx
tips & insights

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Physical description

The Sphinx has the body of a lion and the head of a pharaoh or god. It's in a relaxed crouching position with outstretched legs.

Material

It was sculpted out of a large, monolithic limestone outcropping.

Size

It measures 20 meters (65 feet) in height and 73 meters (240 feet) in length.

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Age

Most experts date it to Pharaoh Khafra's reign (26th century BC). Some believe the Sphinx was sculpted much earlier. Others argue later.

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Missing nose

Theories abound. They include destruction by an irate religious zealot and, less likely, by Napoleonic or Turkish military canon fire.

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Buried in sand

For most of its multi-thousand-year lifespan, the Sphinx has been shrouded in wind-driven desert sand, sometimes up to its shoulders. Major sand clearing projects occurred at various times. The last was in the early 20th century.

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Recent damage

An ill-advised restoration in the 1980s caused structural deterioration. The current major threat is acute smog from nearby Cairo.

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Wonders of Egypt - Home page

World's Top 100 Wonders

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Site map

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Egyptian Tourist Authority

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Photo by Nina Hale - CC BY 2.0

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