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Sphinx - Cairo

The Great Sphinx in Cairo is among the one of the most fascinating statues in the world. The word Sphinx comes from the Greek language which means the head of human and body of a lion. It is a mythical creature which is known for being merciless and dangerous. Greeks seemed to like the mystery and pride associated with the Sphinxes, in ancient Greek culture, the first sphinxes to appear in sculpture appeared from the 7th century BC. 

These were made from clay and are particularly associated with Crete where moulded heads of sphinxes were sometimes added to pithoi. From the 6th century BCE, sphinxes appeared in stone sculpture, sometimes with raised hind quarters. 

Rear view of the Great Sphinx of Giza
Rear view of the Great Sphinx of Giza in Cairo
These stone blocks were part of the two large rooms which had four doors and it offered access to the Sphinx
These stone blocks were part of the two large rooms which had four doors and it offered access to the Sphinx
Stone blocks of the area in front of Sphinx
Stone blocks of the area in front of Sphinx
Khafre built this monument his pyramid, which is seen here from the Sphinx
Khafre built this monument his pyramid, which is seen here from the Sphinx
A view of the Sphinx and the Great Pyramid
Here Sphinx is seen in the middle with the Pyramid of Khufu (on right) and the Pyramid of Khafre (on left)
Here Sphinx is seen in the middle with the Pyramid of Khufu (on right) and the Pyramid of Khafre (on left)

History

Despite its iconic status, geologists, archaeologists, Egyptologists and others continue to debate the Sphinx’s enduring “riddle”: The most common wisdom holds that the monolith is around 4,500 years old. It is believed that Sphinx was built during the reign of the Pharaoh Khafra (c. 2558–2532 BC) and it represents the face of the king himself. The Sphinx was not assembled piece by piece but was carved from a single mass of limestone exposed when workers dug a horseshoe-shaped quarry in the Giza plateau. 
 

It stands at 73.5 metres long, 19.3 metres wide and 20.22 m high. The face, though better preserved than most of the statue, has been battered by centuries of weathering and vandalism.

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The Great Sphinx at the Giza Necropolis
The Great Sphinx at the Giza Necropolis
It stands at 73.5 metres long, 19.3 metres wide and 20.22 m high
It stands at 73.5 metres long, 19.3 metres wide and 20.22 m high
Lower end of the Sphinx - it is one of the world's largest and oldest statues
Wooden platforms beside the Sphinx
Wooden platforms beside the Sphinx
Area around the Sphinx
Area around the Sphinx
A camel rider with Cairo city in the background
A camel rider with Cairo city in the background
A guy with a camel waiting for the customers - they work in pairs one goes and annoy (or find) people and second one stands and wait for the news
A guy with a camel waiting for the customers - they work in pairs one goes and annoy (or find) people and second one stands and wait for the news
A carraige and a camel beside the exit gate (can also be used as an entrance)