Each civilization has its own symbols, which are considered integral parts of the nation, its culture and history.Sphinx Ancient Egypt - immortal proof of the power, strength and greatness of the country, a silent reminder of the divine origin of his rulers, sunk in the century, but left on the ground the image of eternal life.The national symbol of Egypt is considered one of the greatest architectural monuments of the past, it is still suggestive of involuntary fear their impressiveness, an aura of mystery, mystical legends and centuries of history.
Monument in figures
Egyptian Sphinx is known to each and every citizen on earth.The monument carved out of monolithic rocks, has the body of a lion and the head of the person (according to some sources - Pharaoh).The length of the statue is 73 meters, height - 20 m. The symbol of the power of the monarchy is located on the plateau of Giza west coast of the Nile River and is surrounded by a wide and fairly deep ditch.Thoughtful gaze of the Sphinx is directed to the east, towards the point of the sky, where the sun rises.Monument many times found himself under cover of sand and has been renovated several times.The statue was completely cleaned of sand only in 1925, captured the imagination of people around the world with its scale and size.
history sculptures: facts against legends
Sphinx in Egypt is the most enigmatic and mysterious monument.Its history over the years is the rapid interest and attention of historians, writers, directors and researchers.Everyone who had a chance to touch eternity, which represents the statue offers its own version of her origin.Locals call the stone landmark "father of terror" due to the fact that the Sphinx is the custodian of the plurality of mysterious legends and a favorite place for tourists - lovers of mysteries and science fiction.According to researchers, the story of the Sphinx has more than 13 centuries.Presumably, it was built in order to fix the astronomical phenomenon - the reunion of the three planets.
myth about the origin of
So far there is no reliable information about what is sculpture symbolizes, for which it was built and when.The lack of history is replaced by the legends that are passed by word of mouth and talk to tourists.The fact that in Egypt, the Sphinx is the oldest and largest monument, it creates a mysterious and absurd stories.There is speculation that a statue guarding the tombs of the pharaohs greatest - the pyramid of Cheops, Chephren and Mycerinus.Another legend says that the stone statue symbolizes the identity of the pharaoh Khafre, the third - it is a statue of the god Horus (god of the sky, poluchelovek, polusokol), watching the ascent of his father - the Sun God Ra.
Legends
In Greek mythology, the Sphinx is mentioned as a hideous monster.According to the Greek legends of ancient Egypt on this monster are as follows: a creature with a lion's body and a human head, and gave rise to Ehidna Typhon (female poluzmeya and giant dragon with a hundred heads).It had a face and a woman's breast, the body of a lion and the wings of a bird.The monster lived near Thebes, people wait and ask him a strange question: "Who are the living beings in the morning moves on four legs, two day and in the evening on three?" None of the trembling fear of strangers could not give a clear answer to the Sphinx.After that monster sentenced them to death.However, come the day when the wise Oedipus was able to solve his riddle."This is a man in his childhood, maturity and old age" - he said.After that, a broken monster rushed from the top of the mountains and broke the rocks.
According to the second version of the legend, the Sphinx in Egypt was once a God.Once the ruler of heaven fell into the treacherous sand traps, called "cell oblivion," and went to sleep in her eternal sleep.
real facts
Despite the mysterious overtones of legends, the real story is not less mystical and mysterious.According to the original According to scientists, the Sphinx was built at the same time as the pyramids.However, in ancient papyri, which was derived from the information on the building of the pyramids, there is no mention of the stone sculptures.The names of the architects and builders who created the grandiose tombs for pharaohs, but the name of the man who gave the world the Egyptian Sphinx, is still unknown.However, several centuries after the creation of the pyramid there are the first facts about the statue.Egyptians tout its "shepes ankh" - "living image".No more information and scientific explanation of these words, scientists have not been able to give the world.
But at the same time, the iconic image of the mysterious Sphinx - a winged maiden monster - is mentioned in Greek mythology, the many tales and legends.The hero of these stories, depending on the author, periodically changes its appearance, speaking in some versions poluchelovekom-polulvom, and in others - a winged lioness.
history of ancient Egypt Sphinx
Another puzzle for the scientists was the chronicle of Herodotus, who in 445 BCdescribed in detail the process of building the pyramids.He told the world interesting stories about how the buildings were erected, how long and how many slaves were involved in their construction.The story of the "father of history" affected even such nuances as the food of slaves.But, oddly enough, Herodotus never mentioned in his book Stone Sphinx.None of the subsequent records the fact of erecting a monument also has not been found.
helped scientists shed light on the riddle of the Sphinx the work of the Roman writer Pliny the Elder's "Natural History."In his writings he talks about the next cleansing of the monument from the sand.On this basis, it becomes clear why Herodotus did not leave the world a description of the Sphinx - a monument at that time, it was buried under a layer of sandy sediments.So how much time he was in a sand trap?
First «restoration»
Judging by the inscriptions left on the stone stele between the paws of a monster, Pharaoh Thutmose I spent a year on the release of the monument.Ancient writings tell us that being a prince Thutmose went to sleep soundly at the foot of the Sphinx and had a dream in which God appeared to him Harmakhis.He predicted the prince ascension to the throne of Egypt and ordered the release of a statue of a sand trap.Some time later, the Pharaoh Thutmose became well and remembered the promise of this deity.He ordered not only to dig a giant, but also to restore it.Thus, the first revival of the legend of Egypt occurred in the XV century.BC.That's when the world learned about the construction of a grand and unique religious monuments of Egypt.
It is known that after the revival of the Sphinx Pharaoh Thutmose it once again dug during the reign of Ptolemy dynasty, under the Roman emperors, who have seized ancient Egypt, and the Arab rulers.In our time, it was re-released on the sands in 1925.Until now the statue has to be cleaned after a sandstorm as it is an important tourist attraction.
Why monument no nose?
Despite the antiquity sculpture, it is almost in its original form, embodying the Sphinx.Egypt (photo of the monument presented above) managed to preserve its architectural masterpiece, but was unable to defend his people from barbarism.Statues have no currently nose.Scientists believe that one of the pharaohs, for some unknown reason, science ordered to recapture the statue's nose.According to other sources, the monument damaged Napoleon's army, firing a gun on his face.The English chipped beard monster and sent it to a museum.
However, later discovered records of the historian Al-Maqrizi from 1378 it says that the stone statue has had a nose.According to him, one of the Arabs, eager to atone for the sins of religion (The Quran forbade the depiction of human faces), chipped nose giant.In response to such atrocities and abuse of the Sphinx sands began to take revenge on the people stepping on the land of Giza.
As a result, scientists have concluded that the Sphinx in Egypt, lost his nose due to strong winds and floods.Although this assumption is not found till now a real confirmation.
stunning secrets of the Sphinx
In 1988, as a result of the impact of acrid smoke factory, broke away from the monument of the decent block of stone (350 kg).UNESCO concerned about the appearance and condition of the tourist and cultural sites, resumed repair, thereby opening the way to new research.As a result of careful study of the stone blocks of the pyramid of Cheops and the Sphinx Japanese archaeologists it has been hypothesized that the monument was built long before the great tomb of the pharaoh.The conclusion was the stunning revelation for the historians who have suggested that the pyramid, the Sphinx and other burial structures - contemporaries.A second, equally surprising discovery was the discovery under the left paw predator long narrow tunnel connected to the pyramid of Cheops.
After Japanese archaeologists oldest monument do hydrologists.They found his body traces of erosion on a large water flow, which moved from north to south.After a series of studies by hydrologists concluded that the stone lion was a silent witness to the Nile flood - Biblical catastrophe, which occurred about 8-12 thousand years ago.The American researcher John Anthony West explained the traces of water erosion on the body of a lion and the absence of color proof that the Sphinx existed during the Ice Age and dates from any period up to 15 thousand. BC.e.According to French archeology, history of ancient Egypt can boast of ancient monuments, it existed even during the time of the destruction of Atlantis.
Thus, the stone statue tells us about the existence of the greatest civilization that managed to erect such a magnificent structure, which became immortal image of the past.
The worship of the ancient Egyptians before the Sphinx
Egyptian Pharaohs regularly made the pilgrimage to the foot of the giant, which symbolized the great past of their country.They offered sacrifices on the altar that was between his legs, voskurivali incense, receiving from giant silent blessing to the kingdom and the throne.Sphinx was for them not only the incarnation of the god of the sun, but also a sacred way, which gave them Succession and legal power of the ancestors.He personified the mighty Egypt, the country's history was reflected in his majestic form, embodying the image of each of the new pharaoh and turning component present in eternity.Ancient writings glorify the Sphinx as a great creator-god.His image rejoins the past, present and future.
astronomical explanation of the stone sculptures
Officially, the Sphinx would be built in 2500 BC.e.on the orders of Pharaoh Khafre in the period of the Fourth ruling dynasty of pharaohs.Huge lion located among other magnificent stone structures on the Giza plateau - the three pyramids.
Astronomical studies have shown that the location of the statue was not chosen by a blind instinct, and in accordance with the point of intersection of the path of the stars.He served as the equatorial point indicating the exact location of the place on the horizon sunrise on the vernal equinox.According to astronomers, the Sphinx was built 10,500 years ago.
noteworthy that the pyramids of Giza are on the ground in exactly the same manner as the three stars of Orion's Belt in the sky that year.According to legend, the Sphinx and the Pyramids have fixed the position of the stars, the astronomical time, which the ancient Egyptians called the first.Since the celestial personification of the god Osiris, who ruled at the time, was Orion, man-made structures were built with the purpose of the image of stars his belt to perpetuate and to fix the time of his power.
Great Sphinx as a tourist object
Currently, the giant lion with a human head attracts millions of tourists, eager to witness the legendary shrouded in darkness long history and a lot of mystical traditions stone sculpture.Interest in it the whole of humanity is due to the fact that the mystery of the creation of the statue has remained undisclosed, buried under the sands.It is hard to imagine how many secrets keeps the Sphinx.Egypt (photo of the monument and the pyramids can be seen on any travel portal) can be proud of its great history, outstanding people, grandiose monuments, the truth of which their creators have taken with them into the realm of Anubis - the god of death.
great and impressive huge stone sphinx, whose history has remained unsolved, and full of secrets.All the same calm gaze directed into the distance and all the sculptures as his face impassive.How many centuries, it is a silent witness of human suffering, the vanity of rulers, sorrows and misfortunes that have befallen the land of Egypt?How many mysteries keeps the Great Sphinx?Unfortunately, all of these issues for many years and have not found the answers.
