Sphinx

The Sphinx is a mythological animal shaped figure which is portrayed as a recumbent lion that has a human head. The sphinx got its name and origin from in sculpture form, from the old kingdom of Egypt, which the old Greeks used to apply their names when compared to the female monster, which again was a Greek mythological figure. The old and ancient sphinx image pictures as a sitting lioness that has a human head. Only occasionally the lion has a head of the falcon or hawk. This tradition was originally started by the Egyptians, but later was taken over by many other cultures. Then it was a very common site to see a picture of the lion body with the head of any other animal other than the lion.

It is very interesting to know that the main purpose of the sphinx was to guard the temple doors. And such sculptures could be very easily found in the royal tombs as well as religious temples. In fact the first sphinx depicted Hetepheres II of the 4th dynasty and lasted from 2723 to 2563 BC. As per records the largest and the most known sphinx can be seen the great Sphinx of Giza, which is located at the Giza plateau on the bank of river Nile. Researchers’ till date have not been able to find out the exact construction date. However, the head of the sphinx is said to be that of the greatest and the strongest ruler called the Hatshepsut.

Sphinx