Pathways Egypt

A commonly known fact is that the Great Pyramid of Giza is the only monument of the original Seven Wonders of the World still standing in the present day. While the superior construction and design of the Pyramid has helped it stand the test of time, one cannot help but poetically wonder if part of its survival can be attributed to its guardian.

The guardian of the great pyramid, and the other pyramids in the Giza complex, is known to all. The Great Sphinx of Giza is, and has always been, a huge tourist drawing point for those wishing to walk on the sands of ancient Egypt. The sphinx is one of the largest surviving monuments of the ancient world, though few are aware of its role within the Giza complex.

Sphinxes in general originate in ancient Egypt, though they appear throughout the classical world. The Egyptian sphinx usually shows the body of a lion a topped with the head of a female, though the Great Sphinx of Giza is somewhat unusual in that it shows the head of a male. The identity of the man the head of the Sphinx is modeled on is subject to much debate, though current Egyptologists now believe it to be the head of the pharaoh Khafra (reigned circa 2558 BC).

The Great Sphinx sits to the east of the Giza Pyramid Complex, facing outward with its back to the second-largest pyramid. As with most sphinxes, its role is that of guardianship over the dead. The pyramids are the tombs of pharaohs, and the Sphinx acts as their protector in the afterlife.

The builder of the Sphinx is unknown, though dating would place its construction around the pharaohs of the Fourth Dynasty. Various pharaohs within this dynasty have been attributed with ordering the construction of the Sphinx, but no contemporary documents have been found to verify this. It is likely that this guardian of the fallen pharaohs was ordered and constructed by more than one of the Fourth Dynasty, with the original conception of the idea generally attributed to Djedefra, Khafra’s successor.

There is one thing modern Egyptologists can be sure of, however: whoever constructed the Great Sphinx, it remains one of the most visited attraction in Egypt today.

Of the attributed Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, only one remains standing and substantial: the Great Pyramid of Giza. Situated on the outskirts of modern day Cairo, the Great Pyramid is one of Egypt’s biggest tourist attractions, and a reminder of ancient times on the outside of what is now a cosmopolitan city.

The Great Pyramid is the tomb of the Fourth Dynasty Pharaoh Khufu, and was completed circa 2560 BC following a some 20 years of building. It sits in what is now referred to as either the Giza Pyramid Complex or the Giza Necropolis, on a site alongside two smaller pyramids erected as tombs for later pharaohs, as well as the Sphinx.

What remains of the Great Pyramid today is an undercore. The original structure would have been lined with flattened, smooth limestone blocks; these have unfortunately been stripped away by looting and excavations over the years. These ‘casing stones’ would have given the outer appearance of the pyramid as almost white in color, and almost certainly it would have shone when lit by the sun. This kind of glorious tribute in the middle of the desert was befitting for the Ancient Egyptian pharaohs, all of whom placed unusual significance on death and the afterlife.

The Great Pyramid was officially the tallest man-made structure in the world for some 3,800 years, originally standing at around 146 meters tall. It eventually lost this title to the Eiffel Tower in Paris, which was built in 1889. Furthermore, over the centuries the Great Pyramid has also lost some ten meters in height, including its uppermost stones. These were largely looted by the later pharaohs, and are now included in other pyramid tombs in the Valley of the Kings.

The pyramid inside is small and cramped, with several small passages passing throughout – some of which were never completed. The main chamber is known as the King’s Chamber, and contained the sarcophagus of the Pharaoh Khufu. The chamber also includes various offerings and statues, as well as spaces in the walls which allow for Khufu’s ‘Ka’ (life force) to pass into the afterlife.

Khufu’s greatest force beyond death, however, is surely the fact that his tomb is still standing while its contemporaries fell.