Great Sphinx in Egypt: why is the nose broken?

Egypt is a country with an extraordinary culture and history. It was here that the first monumental architectural monuments in the history of mankind were built. Many people learn about Egyptian culture, pyramids and other sights from school, looking at photos or reading information on Wikipedia. In fact, each of these sculptures deserves to be touched and seen by as many tourists from all over the world as possible. One of the most impressive architectural monuments is the Egyptian Sphinx. This sculpture is full of mysteries and legends. In addition, the Great Sphinx in Egypt is included in the list of ancient sculptures. Its size is impressive and somewhat frightening. The length of the statue reaches 73 meters, and the height of the figure is 20 meters. The shape is no less striking - the head of a man is connected to the body and paws of a lion.

Where is the Sphinx

A popular attraction is located on the west bank of the Nile, in the city of Giza. Address: Nazlet El Semman, Al Haram, Giza. The map shows the Great Sphinx in Egypt inside the Pyramid Complex at Giza, not far from the Pyramid of Cheops. The city of Giza is located 30 km from the capital of the state, Cairo.

How to get there

Since the Great Sphinx in Egypt is in great demand among tourists, getting to it is not difficult. You can drive directly to the Sphinx plateau by taxi. The journey will take about half an hour. According to tourists, a taxi will cost about 20-30 dollars. You can also spend a little more time and save money by taking a scheduled trip. by bus from Cairo. Buses to Giza run at intervals of about half an hour. The ticket price reaches 5-7 dollars. If your hotel is located in other areas of Egypt near the metro, from there you can get to the Giza station. Further attractions are about 2 km away, which can be reached by taxi or on foot.

Origin story

The history of the sphinx is full of mysteries that scientists cannot unravel after millennia. Today, science does not answer the question of when, why and who built the sphinx in egypt. However, there is still an official version of the origin of the sculpture. According to the theory, the Sphinx is 4517 years old, since it was built in 2500 BC. Presumably the architect was Pharaoh Khafre. Making such a statement, scientists rely on the similarity of the material used for the construction of the Sphinx and the pyramid of Khafre - the blocks are made of baked clay.

It is worth noting that German scientists put forward another hypothesis, according to which the landmark was erected in 7000 BC. Such a statement is based on studies of the material and erosion of the statue. According to the French Institute of Egyptology, the sculpture has gone through at least 4 restorations during its existence. One day, heavy winds and sandstorms wiped the Sphinx off the face of the Earth. Several centuries later, the statue was discovered by Khafre and restored.

There is also a theory according to which Pharaoh Khafre was the customer. The one who, according to another hypothesis, was an architect. However, the obvious manifestations of the features of the Negroid race on the face of the Sphinx are rather a negative argument. Experts, resorting to computer technology, created the appearance of the pharaoh and his relatives. After a comparative analysis, the conclusion was that the statue and the pharaoh's family could not have similar facial features.

The purpose of the Sphinx

In ancient Egypt, people called the statue "the rising sun" or believed that it was dedicated to the Nile. The only known fact was that the majority of civilization in sculpture saw a symbol of the divine principle, namely the God of the Sun - Ra. If you delve into the origin of the name of the statue, then the word “sphinx” is ancient Greek, meaning “strangler”. According to other assumptions, the sculpture was created as a symbol of the protection of the pharaohs after death and as an assistant in the afterlife. But more often, scientists agree that the image of the statue is collective, symbolizing the four seasons, where the wings are autumn, the paws are summer, the face is winter, and the body of the lion is spring.

Secrets of the Sphinx

For several millennia, scientists and researchers around the world have not been able to come to a consensus on the origin and purpose of sculpture. The mysteries of the Egyptian Sphinx remain unsolved and leave more questions than answers. Who, when and why built the statue are not the only mysteries.

Hall of Chronicles

The first to claim the existence of underground passages, was Edgar Cayce, an American scientist. His claim was confirmed by Japanese scientists who discovered a five-meter rectangular chamber under the lion's left paw. Edgar Cayce expressed the idea that the Atlanteans left traces of their existence in the "Hall of Records". Astrologers, in turn, interpret the location of the room and the pyramids in the Necropolis in their own way - in 1980, researchers drilled about 15 meters deep. Aswan granite was found here, although the natural occurrence of this rock is absent here, which indicates traces of the “hall of chronicles”.

Disappearance of the Sphinx

Herodotus, an ancient Greek philosopher, traveled through Egypt. After the trip, he began to describe in detail the location of the pyramids, their number, age. The description even included the number of slaves involved and the food they were fed. Among other things, Herodotus did not mention a word about the Egyptian Sphinx. Scientists believe that the statue was swept up by the sands in this era. This happened to the sculpture repeatedly. Only in the last two centuries, the figure has been excavated more than 4 times. And only in 1925 the Egyptians were able to completely dig out the lion.

On Guard of the Sunrise

Another interesting detail of the statue is the inscription on the chest "I look at your fuss." The figure is endowed with majesty and mystery. Eyes radiate wisdom and alertness. Lips depict contempt and irony. It would seem that the statue has no power and cannot influence the course of events in any way. A story that happened to one journalist proves the opposite. A certain young photographer wanted to take unique pictures by climbing the statue. After trying to get closer, someone seemed to push him, the journalist fell, and, waking up, found that the footage had been erased from the film. The magical power of the Sphinx showed up more than once. Therefore, the Egyptians are firmly convinced that the statue guards them and watches over the Sunrise.

Why does the sphinx have no nose and beard?

Another amazing feature of the oldest statue in the world is the absence of a nose and beard. There are three most common versions of this. The first one says that the nose of the Sphinx was hit by an artillery shot during the war with Napoleon. Official sources reject this, since in the drawings of an earlier age the figure is already without a nose and a beard. According to the second version, in the XIV century, an Islamic extremist climbed onto the figure and barbarously mutilated it, wanting to rid the world of the idol. After that, the fanatic was caught and burned right at the feet of the lion.

The third version has scientific confirmation and speaks of the absence of parts of the face due to water erosion. This theory is followed by French and Japanese scientists.

• During the excavations at the foot of the statue, tools, stone blocks, and the remains of workers' belongings were found, which indicates that the builders quickly left the place after the Sphinx was ready.
• Excavations led by M. Lehner helped to establish an approximate ration of workers, judging by which we can safely say that the builders received decent wages.
• The Sphinx was colorful. Although the statue is now a naturally sandy color, there are stains of yellow and blue paint on the chest and face.
• The Egyptian Sphinx has ancient Greek roots. But the Greek figure in mythology is depicted as more cruel and sullen than the Egyptian one.
• In Egypt, there is a statue of an androsphinx, as it lacks wings and a woman's face.

Restoration of the Great Sphinx

Attempts to restore and excavate the Sphinx from under the sand were repeated. The first who began to save the oldest sculpture were the pharaohs Thutmose IV and Ramses II. The Italians also cleaned the statue in 1817, later in 1925. In the recent past, the Sphinx was closed to tourists for about 4 months, after which, in 2014, the restoration was completed.

What to see nearby

You can travel around Giza not only for the sake of the Great Sphinx. Nearby, on a plateau, there are 3 famous pyramids, including and. All of them are located within walking distance and do not require additional transport, according to tourists.