The Great Sphinx of Giza is world’s largest monolith statue that is situated in Giza, Egypt. This largest sculpture is carved in an imaginary shape with body of statue is just like lion’s body but the head is of human being. Here are some more interesting facts about Sphinx.
1. Construction Era
It is believed that this Great Sphinx of Giza was constructed by Pharaoh Khafra in the era of 2558-2532 that was the age of ancient Egyptians. So, it is the oldest epic sculpture that is still present in very good condition.
2. Dimensions
The Sphinx is the world’s largest monolith sculpture with dimensions like 66.34 ft height, 20 ft width and 241 ft length. The paws of statue are 50 feet long.
3. Damage in the last centuries
Many environmental and human factors are responsible for the damage of Sphinx. Today, you can the sphinx only without its nose and beard.
4. Buried in the Sand
There was a time, when Great Sphinx of Giza was buried in the dense sand up to the shoulders on permanent basis.
5. Restoration Attempts
The first restoration attempt to excavate Sphinx from dense sand was made by Thutmose IV in 1400 BC. After that Ramesses II made a little attempt. A major excavation work was done by Italian team in 1817. However, the true and complete excavation work was made by Emile Baraize from 1925-1936.