The Sphinx

I was wondering what an I-search was when my teacher told us that we had to do one on the Ancient World. I realized it was basically a documentary of a research paper. I decided to do my I search on the Sphinx in Egypt. I chose the Sphinx because it fascinates me.

From my 4 resources I had found off the Internet and in books, I had a lot of information to work with. In my life, I was never really taught anything about the Sphinx. I thought I had some idea about. I was really wrong.

I thought that the Sphinx was a place for praying to a god. I have an educational video game that takes you inside the Sphinx. What you see in the video game is not really inside the Sphinx. One of my objectives that I wanted to find out was “Is there anything in the Sphinx? If so, what?” Actually there is nothing is in the Sphinx. It is pure stone. It is not hollow.

When I researched the Sphinx I learned some other interesting things. I also discovered that nobody really knows a true fact. For example: Ancient Egyptian Art by Susan Hodge, states that the Sphinx was made out of sandstone. This was on page twenty two of the book. However, the website, “http://guardians.net/egypt/sphinx” states it was made out of bedrock. So really nobody knows what the Sphinx was built of.

The Sphinx was built by Khafre. He is one of the sons of Khufa. Khufa commissioned the Great Pyramid. The face of the Sphinx maybe the Pharaoh Djedefre (Radjedef), an older brother of Khafre. Djedefre’s pyramid is badly damaged at Abu Roash. He is the only male pyramid commissioner in his family to not have a pyramid on the Giza Plateau. Khufa had another son, Menkarue also built a pyramid on the Giza Plateau along with his father.

I also discovered that some people think that there might be a second Sphinx. They believe that it is located on the other side of the causeway. It is most likely in very poor condition due to air pollution, water erosion, and lightning. It is most likely buried under the sand. These people have alot of facts to prove this, starting with this Egyptian Belief:

When Atum was the High God, he created Shu & Tefnut. They were in the form of two lion cubs. They were known as “one lion with two lions”. Also the Zodiac sign LEO is in the summer. In the summer is when the sun burns at its best. The Egyptians had another belief that it took two lions to bring the sun over from east to west. One Sphinx cannot do that on its own according to the Egyptians. Also, this would be against the common sense of the idea of protection. Also, it would be against the double lion theory of Ruti. Also, one side of the shrine of Atum would be exposed to danger. And the two lions who are symbolic of yesterday and today would be protecting the pyramids of Giza. The second Sphinx would be south of the current Sphinx.

This I-search has educated me about Ancient Egypt. It makes me wonder why people can’t just go up to the Sphinx and make a certain judgment. They have to debate everything. Also there are many other interesting theories about the Sphinx. Everything I thought I knew about the Sphinx turned out to be wrong.

I think that the Egyptian history is still offering us more challenges. Egypt is the future of the past.

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