BODY OF A LION HEAD OF A MAN
What has the body of a lion and the head of a man? No, it’s not a
monster. It’s one of many statues in Egypt that look like monsters. This
kind of statue is called a sphinx. The Great Sphinx at Giza, Egypt, is
the largest and best known of all these statues. That’s why it’s called
the Great Sphinx.
The Great Sphinx was built almost 5,000 years ago, when Khafre was king
of Egypt. Its human head was carved to look like that of the king. The
lion body stands for the king’s strength. Both the head and body were
carved from solid rock. The paws and legs were built of stone blocks.
This great statue is 66 feet (20 meters) high and about 240 feet (70
meters) long. It stands guard over the road that leads to the pyramid
built by King Khafre.
The head of the Great Sphinx has been damaged more than once by vandals,
people who destroy things on purpose. Over the centuries, desert
sandstorms have also worn away some of the stone. Often, the bottom part
of the Sphinx lies buried under the sand. But it seems as though nothing
can really destroy the Great Sphinx.
