SPHINX, The, a mythological monster variously described but usually with a lion's body, the head and sometimes the breasts of a woman, the wings of a bird and a serpent's supposed to represent some ancient sym bolism. The Egyptians called the sphinix Hu, or Neb (Lord). Its present name is derived from the Greek afig, sphinx, the binder.* 'strangler from aotyyeev sphingein, to strangle.
The sphinx, like the obelisk (q.v.), in the mythology of the ancient Egyptians, represented the solor deity, Ra, and they were originally placed, like the obelisks, in pairs at the en trances of the temples and palaces, not for ornamental purposes only, but mainly for wor ship. It was emblematical of 'Horns on the Horizon,* the Harmachis of the Greeks, representing the conflict of lights and darkness, the conquest of Horns over Typhon, the slayer of his father, Osiris. The Pharaohs of the Middle Kingdom multiplied their number, and placed rows of them on both sides of the principal avenues leading to the temples and pal aces of Thebes. The avenues of the temple at Karnac were bordered by hundreds of these sphinxes, many of which still remain, headless and disfigured. Those, however, were not only ondro sphinxes, but of the hieraco and trio sphinx type.
All nations of antiquity seem to have held those monstrous beings of various shapes and forms as objects of awe, compelling adoration and worship. The ancient Egyptians believed that the sphinx also represented the Pharaoh who styled himself Se Ra, the son of Ra. Thus, on the pyramidion of the Obelisk of Thothmes III, in Central Park, there is a figure of that Pharaoh paying homage to a sphinx upon a pedestal, which in itself is a representation of the king. In other words, the king is worshipping himself.
The portals of the rising "and setting sun were guarded by those lion deities. Even the Bible speaks of the Cherubim, which were placed to guard the entrance of the Garden of Eden. The real meaning of cherub, how ever, is still in dispute, but all agree that it was a composite winged being. The prophet Ezekiel describes similar beings in connection with the Divine Throne. The Assyrian con ceptions of their guardian deities were chiefly represented by human-headed lions or bulls; eagle-headed human bodies, or vice versa.
The sphinxes of the ancient Egyptians were, as already mentioned, of three different forms, namely, (1) Andro-sphinx, a human-headed lion, symbolizing strength and intelligence; (2) Crio-sphinx, a ram-headed lion; (2) Hieraco sphinx, a hawk-headed lion.
One of the most important relics of ancient Egypt is the colossal human-headed lion, in front of the second pyramid of Gizeh. Even in its present dilapidated state it elicits the won der and admiration of the traveler. The
Arabian traveler and historian Abdullatif (1162-1231 A.D.), in his description of the pyramids and sphinx, says: uAt a little more than an arrow's flight from the pyramids is a colossal figure of a head and neck projecting from the earth; the name of the figure is 0 which means ((Father of Terrors' The same authority speaks of it as having ex cited his attention more than all the other marvelous monuments put together that he had seen in Egypt. 'Everything,' he observes, in spite of its enormous size, was in proportion to nature." aIn a face of such colossal size" he wonders 'how the sculptor could have been able to preserve the exact proportions of every part, seeing that nature presented him with no model of a similar colossus, or anything at all comparable.° (DeSacy's trans., p. 180).
It is at a distance of about 1,800 feet from the Great Pyramid, and is carved from the solid rock upon which it rests. Its dimensions are (Smith's measurements) : Feet In.
Height of head from bottom of chin to fore head 19 Horizontal diameter on level of forehead 23 Circumference at level of forehead 72 Horizontal diameter near broadest part of head gear 29 Circumference at broadest part of headgear 91 Height of neck. S feet; horizontal diameter 22 Circumference of neck 69 Total height of the monument, according to Marlette Bey 65 Bar 5 1 5 Nose Mouth 7 8 Face, in the widest part across the cheek 13 7 Whole length of body 140 Outstretched paws SO Since Adbullatif's description of its features, the appearance and condition of the sphinx have undergone great changes. The lower part of the headgear and beard are no more. The features, owing to the iconoclastic propensities of the Kopts and Arabs, are no more °grace fully smiling," as of old; but have a strange, weird expression, amply justifying the Arabic name °Abu'lhol," Father of Terrors.
As, regards the date of this monument, Egyptologists do not agree. The latest author ity, Budge ((History of Egypt,' Vol. II, p.49), assigns the period of the Great Sphinx to probably one of the builders of the Great Pyramids, but it is quite possible," he adds, that it may be much older." Mariette Bey, Maspero and others attribute it to a much more remote antiquity; to the Hoe-shesu, the fol lowers of Horus.
The Phoenicians and Greeks imported the sphinx from Egypt and reproduced it in various shapes and forms, of all sizes and of different materials. Some have face and breast of a woman, the body of a winged lion and tail of a serpent, and many other varieties, according to the fancy of the artificer and sculptor. These found their way back to Egypt whence they originated, but in different forms.