Schoolcraft College

The Ancient Sphinx

Kristen Mason
HIST 134
Dr. Thomson
10/9/16

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The sphinx is a mythical creature with the body of a lion and most often with a human
head and sometimes with wings, sometimes having the tail of a serpent. In Egypt, a sphinx
would have a male head either human or animal. In Greece, a sphinx would always be depicted
with the head of a female. The exact date of when the sphinx first appeared is unknown but it has
also been present in the art and sculpture of the Mycenaean, Assyrian, Persian, and Phoenician
civilizations.
The sphinx was first created by the Egyptians. It is usually depicted wearing a neme, also
known as a head dress, of a Pharaoh. There are three different types of sphinxes in Egyptian
culture. The criosphinx which had the body of lion with the head of a ram, the heirocosphinx
which the body of a lion and the head of a hawk, and the androsphinx which is the body of a lion
and the head of a human. Sphinxes are usually placed as guards outside temple, tombs, ad
funerary monuments because it is believed that they can guard against evil forces.
The most famous sphinx is the Great Sphinx of Giza. There is a story that in the
Eighteenth Dynasty, Tuthmosis IV, when he was just a prince, went on a hunting trip and fell
asleep at the feet of the Sphinx. He dreamt that the Sphinx had spoken to him and promised that
he would become king if he cleared away the sand that had gathered around the feet of the statue.
No-one knows for sure when the Sphinx was built or by whom, but it is believed that it predates
the old kingdom period and that the face and pharaohs beard were later added on. To the ancient
Egyptians, the Great Sphinx represented the Nile and its seasons and was also a manifestation of
Hathor, the goddess of life and death. The Great Sphinx was built as a guardian of horizons and it
held the key to the wisdom gates.
The Great Sphinx was excavated from a soft, natural limestone, from left over materials
that were used to build the Pyramids. One odd thing about the sculpture is that the head is out of

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proportion compared to the rest its body. It is believed that the head could have been re-carved
several different times by different pharaohs since the first visage was created. It is thought that
the original head was that of a ram or hawk and was later recut into a human shape. Various
repairs to the damaged head over thousands of years might have reduced or altered the facial
proportions also causing the head to become more unproportioned. Any of these explanations
could be the cause for the small size of the head compared to the body, especially if the Great
Sphinx is older than traditionally believed.
The Greeks saw the sphinx as a troublesome creature. The most famous myth involving
the sphinx is the one of the Theban prince Oedipus. In the story, the territory of Thebes was
being terrorized by a sphinx, which had been born from a Chimaera which is a fire-breathing
monster with three heads and a body made up of a lion, goat, snake and dragon. The sphinx
created drought and famine and refused to leave unless the Thebans could solve her riddle. The
riddle being to figure out the creature that has two, three, or four feet and although it is able to
change its form, it moves slower the more feet it uses. Anyone who answered the riddle
incorrectly was eaten. Eventually, the king of Thebes became desperate and offered up his
daughter and his kingdom to anyone that could solve the riddle. Oedipus took the challenge and
gave the correct answer, man. In her anger the sphinx leapt to her death from the acropolis of
Thebes.
In ancient Greek culture, the first sphinxes to appear in sculpture were around 7th century
BCE. They were made from clay and associated with Crete. Sphinxes were commonly used in
funerary practices much like the Egyptians and were often painted bright colors. They were often
put upon the tombs of young men who had died. Other famous depictions of sphinx include the

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crested helmet of the Athena Parthenos statue by Pheidias which stood in the Parthenon and
depicted three sphinxes. Another is the one which adorned the feet of Zeuss throne in Olympia.
The sphinx was also commonly represented in both Assyrian and Persian art, usually
depicted with wings and the human head of a male. Large, sculpted sphinxes in the shape of
winged bulls often stood in pairs outside palaces and guarded against evil forces. The Assyrians
thought of the sphinx much in the same way that the Egyptians did. They also believed that they
could guard against evil and were commonly placed as guards outside of palaces.
The first record of the Assyrian sphinx dates all the way back from 3000 BC. The
Assyrian version of the sphinx was known as Lamassu, which was depicted as a male, however,
when the sphinx was depicted as female, it would be known as Apsasu. Lamassu was believed to
have protected cities in Mesopotamia. It was a clear reminder of the kings ultimate authority but
also a symbol of protection for all people. People would often carve a depiction of Lamassu onto
a clay tablet and then bury it beneath the house in order to bring happiness and good fortune.
Archaeological research shows that it is possible that Lamassu were important for all the cultures
that lived in Mesopotamia and around it. In the Akkadian language, the name Lamassu means
protective spirits.
The most famous colossal statues of Lamassu have been excavated at the sites of the
Assyrian capitals that were established by King Assurnasirpal II, who reigned from 883-859 BC,
and King Sargon II, who reigned from 721-705 BC. Motifs of the sphinx disappeared from the
royal palaces in Nimrud and other buildings after the reign of Ashurbanipal II between 668-627
BC for reasons unknown. These mythical guardians even influenced Christianity. Ancient Jewish
people were influenced by the and symbolism of previous civilizations and appreciated the
Lamassu. The prophet Ezekiel even wrote about Lamassu, describing it as a fantastic being

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created of aspects of a lion, an eagle, a bull, and a human. In the early Christian period, the four
Gospels were also related to each one of these mythical components.

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Endnotes
1. Mark Cartwright, Sphinx, Ancient History Encyclopedia, last modified September 08,
2012, http://www.ancient.eu /sphinx/.
1. Cultural Depictions, Crystalinks. http://www.crystalinks.com/sphinxmyths.html
1. Natalia Klimczak. The Mythical Lamassu: Impressive Symbols for Mesopotamian
Protection, Ancient Origins. Last modified February 16, 2016. http://www.ancientorigins.net/history/mythical-lamassu-impressive-symbols-mesopotamian-protection005358
1. Brian Haughton, The Mystery of the Great Sphinx, Ancient History Encyclopedia, last
modified June 01, 2011, http://www.ancient.eu /article/236/.

Annotated Bibliography

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Brian Haughton. The Mystery of the Great Sphinx, Ancient History Encyclopedia. Last
modified June 01, 2011. http://www.ancient.eu /article/236/.
This article contains a history of the Great Sphinx of Giza. It includes historical facts and also
some controversies surrounding the monument. This source is reliable and contains accurate
information.
Cultural Depictions, Crystalinks. http://www.crystalinks.com/sphinxmyths.html
This article contained information about the sphinx, including the many different cultures that
use it as a symbol. It included interesting information about the topic. This source contained
many different facts, even conspiracies and speculations about sphinxes.
Mark Cartwright. Sphinx, Ancient History Encyclopedia. Last modified September 08, 2012.
http://www.ancient.eu /sphinx/.
This article contains a brief history of the Sphinx including which cultures it belonged to.
Also include some myths surrounding the creature and what ways it was depicted. Information
was clear, precise, and from a reliable source.
Natalia Klimczak. The Mythical Lamassu: Impressive Symbols for Mesopotamian Protection,
Ancient Origins. Last modified February 16, 2016. http://www.ancientorigins.net/history/mythical-lamassu-impressive-symbols-mesopotamian-protection-005358
This article contains the history and symbolism for the Assyrian sphinx, the Lamassu. It included
when it first became known and when it disappeared. The source is reliable and contains accurate
information.

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