The Sphinx is part of the Greek mythology of Oedipus (in a play by Sophocles in 429 BC). It was amazing to learn that there are 900 sphinxes in Thebes alone. It is thought that the Great Sphinx is probably fashioned after the likeness of the Pharaoh Khafre, in and around 2500 BC. Some of the inscriptions refer to the Egyptian lion god Ruri, who Egyptians believed guarded the entrance to the underworld. Because Egyptians of that time left no written record of what they meant by the Sphinx, there's a whole world of hypothesis and conjecture.
It's particularly interesting to learn about the workers; they were not from the lower classes. The info in this book is very interesting. Charles Rivers also blows holes in lots of strange stories about the Sphinx and how it lost its nose. A fascinating tidbit is that the Romans even spent time and money, trying to shore up the Sphinx. There's also some questioning about a Sphinx cult, but there is no information to back that up. The true story of how the Sphinx lost its nose is told here. Napoleon's role with the Sphinx is also explained. In 1798 CE, Napoleon's army also had 167 artists and scientists, who worked to preserve the ancient sites in Egypt.
Then, the text goes into some bizarre directions. They evaluate the variety of archaeology disciplines and their differing goals and ambitions. Then, pop culture and Hollywood's actions regarding the Pyramids and Sphinx are analyzed. Finally, tourism, from ancient times to current habits is explored. There is a trade-off between increased tourism and degradation of the historic sites.
By 2008, it was noticed that there were problems with the water table around the Sphinx and water pump machines were installed to protect the Sphinx. The array of photos and drawings added so much to the text in this book.
It's particularly interesting to learn about the workers; they were not from the lower classes. The info in this book is very interesting. Charles Rivers also blows holes in lots of strange stories about the Sphinx and how it lost its nose. A fascinating tidbit is that the Romans even spent time and money, trying to shore up the Sphinx. There's also some questioning about a Sphinx cult, but there is no information to back that up. The true story of how the Sphinx lost its nose is told here. Napoleon's role with the Sphinx is also explained. In 1798 CE, Napoleon's army also had 167 artists and scientists, who worked to preserve the ancient sites in Egypt.
Then, the text goes into some bizarre directions. They evaluate the variety of archaeology disciplines and their differing goals and ambitions. Then, pop culture and Hollywood's actions regarding the Pyramids and Sphinx are analyzed. Finally, tourism, from ancient times to current habits is explored. There is a trade-off between increased tourism and degradation of the historic sites.
By 2008, it was noticed that there were problems with the water table around the Sphinx and water pump machines were installed to protect the Sphinx. The array of photos and drawings added so much to the text in this book.
