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The Sphinx

ابوالهول

With our usual Arab Academy group we continued our adventure in Giza.  After going inside the great pyramid, we walked through the desert to the near by sphinx, another amazing monument of ancient time.

With the reclining body of a lion and the head of a pharaoh, the sphinx remains much of a riddle.  The majority believes that it was built sometimes during the reign of khafra (2558-2532 B.C), although there’s still a lack of evidence to back that.  Others point to evidence that Khufu found it buried in the sand and unearthed it and that it goes back to the archaic period.

Perhaps a guardian of Egypt or a symbol of the worship of an ancient deity that was in time revealed insand, the sphinx remains much of  a riddle.  There’s the usual joke about Napoleon’s troops getting the credit for the missing nose and beard  although an Arab historian, writing in the 15th century AD, mentions vandalism.  One thing for sure though, is that, the Egyptians fear it or think of it as a guardian, as evident from its name’ Abul Hole’,  which means ‘Father of Terror’.

Ending our visit to Giza with the sphinx we were satisfied with the ending of this adventure and ready for the next one.

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