Snapshot of the Great Sphinx of Giza, Researched and Presented by Ethan Fleisher

The Great Sphinx of Giza

1. The official name and location of the artifact:
Official Name: The Great Sphinx of Giza

(Arabic: أبو الهول‎ Abū al Hūl, English: The Terrifying One)

It stands on the Giza Plateau on the west bank of the Nile River in Giza, Egypt.

2. History of the Great Sphinx:
The Great Sphinx is one of the world's largest and oldest statues, but basic facts about it, such as who its face was modeled after, when it was built, and by whom, are still debated. These questions have resulted in the popular idea of the "Riddle of the Sphinx.”


Names of the Sphinx:
Although it’s commonly referred to as The Great Sphinx of Giza today, it is not known what the creators of the Sphinx called it. It does not appear in any inscriptions in the Old Kingdom of Egypt, nor are there any inscriptions describing its purpose or construction process. The New Kingdom refers to the Sphinx as Hor-em-akhet (English: Horus of the Horizon).

The commonly used name Sphinx was given to it in classical antiquity, about 2000 years after the accepted date of its construction. This name was in reference to a Greek mythological beast with a lion’s body, a womans head and the wings of an eagle. The name is rather contrast to the male head and lack of wings that the Sphinx has.

The modern Egyptian Arabic name is أبو الهول (Abū al Hūl, English: The Terrifying One).


Development:

Traditional view of the building timeframe of the Sphinx, although there is contrary evidence and viewpoints, is generally accepted to be approximately 2500 BC by the pharaoh Khafra, who also built the second pyramid of Giza. There are many dissenting theories from multiple Egyptologists and excavators that argue the exact date of creation, who had it built, and who it was modeled after.



3. A detailed description of the Great Sphinx:

The Sphinx is a limestone statue of a lions body with a human head on it. It is the largest monolith statue in the world, standing 241 feet long, 20 feet wide, and 66 feet high. It is the oldest known monumental sculpture in the world.


Excavation of the Sphinx:
After the Giza Necropolis was abandoned, the Sphinx became buried up to its shoulders in sand. The first documented attempt at an excavation is rumored to 1400 BC.

In 1817, the first modern archaeological dig uncovered the Sphinx's chest completely. The entire Sphinx was finally excavated in 1925 to 1936.

In 1931 engineers of the Egyptian government repaired the head of the Sphinx when part of its headdress fell off in 1926 due to erosion that had also cut deeply into its neck

In addition to part of the headdress needing repaired, the one meter nose of the Sphinx is missing. There are two theories of why this happened: the first being that an Egyptian named Muhammad Sa’im al-Dahr was outraged at Egyptian peasants making offerings to the Sphinx and pried off his nose, which evidence from the Sphinx itself supports. The second theory is that cannonball fire from Napoleon’s soldiers hit and broke it off.

4. What does the artifact reveal about the modern Middle East?
The Sphinx reveals a large amount about the Middle East. It depicts, first off, the amazing architecture and artistic abilities that the people of the area have held throughout history. The Sphinx is a symbol of Egypt and the Middle East that has been around for nearly 4500 years. In this incredible amount of time, it has suffered damage through erosion, vandalism, and war, yet it still stands.

It is rather symbolic of the Islamic traditions and lifestyle for this very reason. It has lasted through all the suffering along with the people. It does not have a truly defined existence other than the fact that it does exist. Although the Muslim people of the world clearly do have a defined existence, there is still a sense of a lack of identity, in particular due to the ongoing wars of Israel and Palestine. However, much like the Sphinx, these people through today, in the modern Middle East, still stand. The Sphinx reveals a great symbol of how strong the people of the Islamic culture are, from 4500 years ago to present day.


Sources:http://www.emporis.com/application/?nav=building&lng=3&id=greatsphinxofgiza-giza-egypt
http://www.dorlingkindersley-uk.co.uk/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9781405320931,00.html?/Egypt
Lehner, Mark (1997). The Complete Pyramids. Thames & Hudson. p. 41. ISBN 0500050848.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Sphinx_of_Giza
http://www.aeraweb.org/khafre_seq.asp