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Sphinx |
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Sphinx, one of the most popular attractions in Cairo, is one of the wonders of the ancient world, the enormity of which captivates its observers still today. The Sphinx has got the body of a lion and the head of a man, the face being considered to be of Khafra (Chephren), or probably of Djedefra, his brother, according to Egyptian traditions. But the Sphinx is a mythological being which is believed by the archeologists, to be the protector of the bodies of the deceased in the burial site around the Sphinx. This concept is also supported only partially as the Sphinx was built around 2723-2563 B.C, over 2,600 years prior to the reign of Khafra. The mysteries related to the covering of the Sphinx with sand have given birth to many other theories and myths.
The Sphinx, a gigantic figure 66 ft. tall and 190 ft. long, was mostly carved out of a limestone. The paws of the Sphinx are proportionate with the full body if you observe it from the base of the valley. But the 1 meter broad nose of the Sphinx have not been found.The Sphinx is the witness to the changing nature of the environment.
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From time to time, it has been wrapped up by sand and then exposed by men or other unknown natural forces. The Egyptians built an adjacent altar above another Sphinx which has been totally buried with sand. The Greeks, belonging to the ancient times, came at this location where the Sphinx was built and were astonished to view this gigantic form. It was the Greeks only, who gave it the name “Sphinx” following the name of a Greek mythological winged being, which is half-man and half-feline. The Romans also constructed a stairway and a slope on the two altars which have been disappeared with the passage of time. The Sphinx was partially exposed at the back on a French voyage in 1816 and in 1925, the front portion was revealed to the world on another expedition.
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Our site Egyptflightshub.com offers a detailed info on Sphinx. If you want to collect more information on the other Tourist Attractions in Cairo, browse through the pages of Egyptflightshub.com
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