The Great Sphinx stares east toward the metropolis of Cairo as the Pyramid of Khafre rises in the background at the Giza pyramid complex. The iconic statue, which is around 240 feet long (73 m) and 66 feet tall (20 m), dates back to ancient Egypt’s Old Kingdom (approximately 2649 BCE-2130 BCE.) It likely depicts the face of either Khafre or his father Khufu, both of whom were among the greatest pharaohs of the era.
Sphinxes were mythological figures with the body of lion and the head of human. While the Greeks considered them to be sinister in nature, Egyptian lore regarded sphinxes as protective and well-meaning beings who were symbolic of strength and royalty. Click the above image to enlarge, or click to view my high-resolution photo gallery.