A Tale of the Sphinx

By Kayla Allen
Almost anything as old as the creature, the sphinx, will have a past and origin rich in speculation and myth and of course the sphinx is no different. The most famous sphinx is located in Egypt on the Giza Plateau at the west bank of the Nile River, near modern-day Cairo. It is the largest single-stone statue on Earth and is commonly believed to have been built by ancient Egyptians in the 3rd Millenium BC.
Sphinx is the Greek name given to it as we do not know what the Egyptians called it and it closely resembles the mythological creature the Greek called sphinx. Generally, Greek spinx would have the head of a female and yet the great Sphinx has the head of what appears to be a pharoh.
The sphinx in Greek Mythology was most often depicted seated upright rather than recumbent, as a winged lion with a woman's head. The Greek sphinx was said to have been sent from Ethiopia to Thebes where she asked all passersby a riddle: "Which creature in the morning goes on four feet, at noon on two, and in the evening upon three?" She strangled anyone unable to answer. The word "sphinx" comes from the Greek word meaning "to strangle". The answer to the riddle; Man – he crawls on all fours as a baby, then walks on two feet as an adult, and walks with a cane in old age.
The first attempt to restore the Sphinx to its former glory was actually thought to have been in 1400 BC. The Sphinx had become burried up to its shoulders and it was then that Tutmosis IV, was said to have uncovered its feet.
Later, in 1817, in the first modern dig the Sphinx was dug out completely. In the 1980's, a haphazard attempt at restoration took place. Over 6 years, more than 2,000 limestone blocks were added and chemicals were injected. This treatment didn't work and just flaked away along with parts of the original rock. Later, various mortars and concrete were used to repair it. In 1988 the left shoulder crumbled.
Present attempts at restoration are under the control of the Supreme Council of Antiquities' archaeologists. They are concentrating on draining away soil moisture, which is damaging the rock. They are also repairing the damaged shoulder and trying to stay within the original porportions.
Beyond what is physically being done to the Sphinx, a plan of action and restoration is being developed so that this piece of history does not have to suffer additional potentially damaging restoration attempts in future. Dr. Zahi Hawass is heading up this effort.