.This monumental statue with the head of a human and a body of a lion is the first colossal royal sculpture in Egypt. It is believed to be the most immense stone sculpture in the round ever made by man. It is carved from the bedrock of the Giza plateau of what geologists call the Muqqatam Formation, which originated fifty million years ago from sediments deposited at the bottom of sea waters that engulfed northeast Africa during the Middle Eocene period. It is 57 meters long, 6 meters wide and 20 meters in height, making it one of the largest single-stone statues on Earth.
A truly mysterious marvel from the days of ancient Egypt, it has stirred the imaginations of poets, scholars, adventurers and tourists for centuries and has also inspired a wealth of speculation about its age, its meaning and the secrets that it might hold. The name Sphinx was given to it in Antiquity based on the legendary Greek creature with the body of a lion, the head of a woman and the wings of an eagle, though the Egyptian sphinxes have the head of a man. Its builder was currently commissioned by scholars to the 4th Dynasty King, Khafre (2558 - 2532 BCE). Khafre was one of the sons of Khufu (or Cheops).
It would be quite the experience to be able to witness this myself and embark on a journey to Egypt to learn more not just about this great statue but also to be able to see the Great Pyramids
, one of the Great Wonders of the World
.
