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One of the greatest "wonders" that still survives from an ancient civilization is the Great Sphinx at Giza, in Egypt. A sphinx is a mythical animal that has the head of a human and the body of a lion.

The sphinx became part of Egyptian religion and many sphinx were made, but the most famous and the oldest is the Great Sphinx. This sphinx was built in the 26th century B.C. The face had the features of the king at that time, King Khafre, so that people could worship him in this special form. It is carved from a natural bluff of rock that lies in the center of a large quarry. The body and the head are carved right from the rock, while the out-stretched paws are added in masonry. The figure was originally covered with painted plaster, and there are still some traces of this.

While we can see and admire the Great Sphinx, it is quite different now than it was originally because of all the damage it had suffered. Drifting sand has caused a great deal of erosion and created a kind of a ripple effect on the body. It has also been injured by humans. In 1380 a ruler of Egypt did great damage to the face. At one time the monument was used as a target for guns.

The Great Sphinx is 66 feet high, its length is 240 feet. The nose is 5 feet 7 inches and the mouth is 7 feet 7 inches in length. The face is about 13 feet and 8 inches wide.

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14y ago

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