The Sphinx

A Sphinx is a figure with a human head atop the body of a lion.  Although variations of the Sphinx are found across the Middle East, the greatest and easily most familiar sphinx is the Great Sphinx on the Giza plateau.

The Sphinx sits on the Giza plateau with its back to the three great pyramids of the Pharohs (Cheops, Chefren, & Menkaura).   It faces the rising sun in the east.  Its bust was actually carved from a natural limestone outcropping rather than built by man.  Its scale is truly massive.

         "The head of the Great Sphinx measures 19 feet from the top of the
          forehead to the bottom of the chin, the face is 20 feet wide, and 91 feet in
          circumference. Remaining flecks of paint indicate the Sphinx may once
          have been painted bright red. The upper portion of the paws extend
          forward 56 feet, the body is 172 feet long (total body length is 242 feet),
          and the height to the top of the head is 66 feet. " (Judith Paulson Sphinx par.3)
The Sphinx has captured man's imagination for years, and new speculation that there may be unexplored passageways and chambers under/within the monument have sparked new speculation. Interested?  The links below provide more information.