The Great Sphinx of Giza, sometimes referred to as the Great Sphinx of Egypt—or simply the Sphinx—is, despite centuries of observation, study, and recording, a complex, puzzling, and still incompletely understood monument.

What is known with certainty is that this immense limestone colossus was carved directly from the bedrock of the Giza Plateau into the form of a lion-bodied, human-headed figure. The ancient Greeks referred to such figures as Σφίγξ (Sphinx), and associated the monument with the name Ἁρμάχις (Harmachis).

Both terms are thought to derive—perhaps imperfectly—from earlier Egyptian expressions:

ssp-ankh — “living image” or “statue”

Hr-m-akhet (Horemakhet) — “Horus in the Horizon”

The Egyptian Name of the Great Sphinx: Hr-m-akhet (Horemakhet)

In later Egyptian tradition, the Sphinx is associated with the name Hr-m-akhet, meaning Horus in the Horizon—a solar deity linked to kingship, rebirth, and the rising sun.

Across its long history, the monument has also been known by several other names, including:

• ʼAbu al-hōl — “The Father of Terror”
• Balhib / Balheeb
• Hauron-Horemakhet — reflecting its association with a Canaanite desert deity

Curiously, if the current Egyptological consensus is correct, the Sphinx appears to have had no recorded name for roughly the first 1,000 years of its existence. No surviving inscription from the Old Kingdom explicitly identifies it.

Who Built the Great Sphinx?

Most Egyptologists attribute the Sphinx to the Fourth Dynasty (c. 2500 BCE), suggesting it was carved during the reign of:

• Khufu
• Djedefre
• or most commonly, Khafre

This attribution is based primarily on archaeological context—particularly its alignment with Khafre’s pyramid complex—rather than definitive inscriptions.

Around 1400 BCE, the Dream Stele of Thutmose IV records how the Pharaoh Thutmose IV restored the Sphinx after receiving a divine vision, in which the monument—speaking as Horemakhet—promised kingship in return for its clearance from the sand.

Alternative Theories and Deep Antiquity

Not all scholars agree with this conventional chronology.

Researchers such as Robert Bauval, Graham Hancock, and Robert Schoch have argued—based on geological weathering patterns and astronomical alignments—that the Sphinx may be far older, possibly dating back as far as 10,000 BCE or earlier.

These interpretations remain controversial and are not widely accepted within mainstream Egyptology, but they continue to play a significant role in ongoing debate.

Was the Head of the Great Sphinx Recarved?

In recent years, attention has shifted toward a different question: whether the Sphinx originally had a different head.

The head of the Sphinx (approximately 9.5 metres long) appears disproportionately small compared to the body (approximately 72.5 metres in total length). This has led some researchers to suggest that the head may have been re-carved at a later date.

Proposals include:

• A jackal head (Anubis) — proposed by Robert Temple and Olivia Temple
• A lion’s head — proposed by Colin Reader
• A falcon head (hieracosphinx) — suggested by Matt Sibson

While none of these hypotheses has been definitively proven, the proportional disparity remains an active area of discussion.

Is there a second Sphinx at Giza?

More recently, there have been reports of a “second Sphinx” at Giza have attracted attention online, particularly following claims based on remote sensing and satellite analysis.

In fact the idea itself is not new. Several 17th–18th century illustrations and travel accounts appear to show two sphinx-like forms at Giza.

Some of these historical images which appear to depict a second sphinx, can be explored in the image gallery on this site.

For the moment, however, there is no confirmed archaeological evidence that a second Sphinx exists buried beneath the Giza Plateau.

An Enduring Enigma

Where the debate will turn next is uncertain.

What is clear is that the Great Sphinx continues to inspire intense interest, disagreement, and interpretation across disciplines—archaeology, geology, mythology, and beyond.

It is entirely possible—perhaps even likely—that some of its secrets will remain unresolved.

And this may be part of its enduring power.

For over four millennia, the Sphinx has sat in plain sight at the edge of the desert—its gaze fixed on the eastern horizon—at once visible to all, yet never fully grasped.

_{Title Image from The Antiquities, Natural History, Ruins and other Curiosities of Egypt, Nubia and Thebes (1780) by Frederik Louis Norden.  Digital Collections of the New York Public Library.}