The Great Sphinx of Giza is a statue of a reclining “sphinx”, a mythical creature with the body of a lion and the head of a human. It is 66 feet tall and 62 feet wide, making it the largest monolithic statue in the world. It is also the oldest known monumental sculpture in Egypt and can be recognized everywhere throughout the world. It is made of limestone and faces directly from west to east. The face of the sphinx is thought to resemble the ancient pharaoh Khafre. It is located on the Giza Plateau on the West Bank of the Nile in Giza, Egypt. The Great Sphinx has a lot of cultural significance for Egyptians. They believed the sphinx was a representation of their solar deity, Horemakhet or Horus. In Egyptian culture, the sphinx also symbolizes royalty and sacred status. The Sphinx also …show more content…
Construction began through excavation of rock outcropping and the removal of huge rock blocks. The statue was then constructed out of the exposed rock. The shape was enhanced with limestone blocks and cement in order to gain the ideal sphinx shape.. It is an architectural feat that the entire sculpture was built out of a singular piece of limestone. The Sphinx had multiple reasons for why it was built. It had a celestial purpose, which was to resurrect the soul of Pharaoh Khafre by channeling the sun and other gods. It also had a symbolic purpose, which was that it was meant to watch over the Great Pyramid of Giza. Some theorists think that it may have just been a lion-shaped natural landform that the Egyptians enhanced to look like an actual lion. The reasoning for its construction from west to east is so that it is in accordance with the ancient Egyptian solar cult. It also had a deep meaning for the Egyptian people. It gave them something to look up to and provided a “connection” to the sun god (Horus) and pharaoh. It is a monument that relates directly to their religion at the
and largest statues ever made, the Great Sphinx of Giza stands regally on Egypt's golden sand. With the head of a man and the body of a lion, this statue is famous around the world for its impressive size and how it ties to ancient Egyptian culture. The Great Sphinx in the largest monolith statue in the world and is thought to be made around 2558 and 2532 BC, during the rule of the Pharaoh Khafra ("Great Sphinx of Giza"). Though created long ago, the Great Sphinx remains an important part of the rich
Weinstein 1 Orion Weinstein Dr. May English 1004.1 1 March 2014 Who Built the Great Pyramid? Since at least the time of the ancient Greeks, there has been considerable debate about exactly how the Egyptians constructed Pharaoh Khufu's Great Pyramid of Giza. Like many others who are amazed and wonder at this immense structure, I believe some type of extraordinary forces or technologies were used to build it. We know the Egyptians were an advanced culture for their time however it appears they received
The Japanese Flag is a white banner whose center contains a red circle; this circle represents the sun. The Japanese flag is called Hinomaru, which means "circle of the sun." In English it is sometimes called the "rising sun." ... It was officially adopted as the flag of The national flag of Japan is a white rectangular flag with a crimson-red disc in the center. This flag is officially called Nisshōki (日章旗, "sun-mark flag") in the Japanese language, but is more commonly known as Hi no maru (日の丸
When you think Egypt, what initially comes to mind for you? The story behind all of the Great Pyramids, and how they came to be in existence? Cleopatra, the great seductress of many powerful men of Rome? The discovery of the mummies within their dark sarcophagi, buried deep within their pyramids and tombs for all eternity? As fascinating as that might be, we will find in this paper that Egypt is still very rich in culture, diversity, and religions on its own terms. Unfortunately, in the past three
ANCIENT EGYPT By Alyx Shepherd Anthropology 327: Origins of Civilization Instructor: Dr. Steven R. James Thursday, April 24, 2014 Introduction When thinking of Egypt one may conjure up images of pyramids, the Great Sphinx, hieroglyphs, mummies and the Nile. To understand how such a great civilization came to be, one must first become familiar with what it means to be a civilization. There are several characteristics, outlined by British archeologist V. Gordon Childe, that act as a checklist for