Information About Memphis's Alabaster Sphinx

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Information About Memphis's Alabaster Sphinx

05 16, 2023

Information About Memphis's Alabaster Sphinx

After excavating a large number of sites, including Tanis, Naucratis, Hawara, Arsinoe, Illahun, Meydum, Amarna, Koptos, Nagada, Thebes, Denderah and Giza, William Matthew Flinders Petrie arrived at ancient Memphis - Mit Rahineh - in 1908.

Together with his assistant, British archaeologist Ernest John Henri MacKay - who had been working alongside him since 1907 - he made some fine discoveries in the temple precincts of Ptah until 1913.

Located south of Cairo, “Memphis was the city of the god Ptah, with whom Sekhmet and Nefertoum were associated from the New Kingdom onwards. The city, known as the historic "White Wall," served as the nation's capital during the Old Kingdom and acted as a crucial administrative center for the whole of the Double Country's history (Isabelle Franco).

Today, the site reveals little of its former grandeur, but you can imagine what the Egyptologists found: a palm grove, mostly flooded, in which blocks or vestiges of stone emerge.

a single block was used to create an alabaster statue that was modeled like the Sphinx. At 4 meters high and 7 meters long, the Sphinx weighs 80 tons. It is believed to have been carved during the 18th dynasty, during the reign of Hatshepsut, approximately in the 15th century BC, based on its features and the intricacies of the carving. A local was preparing the ground for the foundation of his new home while excavating in the vicinity (people here build their own houses).

While digging, he came across a mass of stone. He continued digging, but an official from the Egyptian antiquities department happened to be passing by. He found that this naive man had completely hammered the right-hand side of this sphinx. That's why you can see the left side of this sphinx in good condition, while the right side is hammered.

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Egypt Tours FAQ

Read top Egypt tours FAQs

Memphis was the ancient capital of Egypt during the Old Kingdom period. It is located near the modern-day city of Cairo but is primarily known for its archaeological sites, including the ruins of temples, statues, and other ancient structures. However, there is no specific sphinx made of alabaster associated with Memphis.

A long time ago, people in Egypt gave presents to a big statue called the Great Sphinx because they believed it would help them have a good harvest. But one person got very angry and broke the nose off the statue. He was punished for breaking something that was important to the people.

The Alabaster Sphinx of Memphis measures approximately 8 meters (26 feet) in length and stands about 4 meters (13 feet) tall. It is carved from a single block of alabaster stone and weighs an estimated 80 tons.

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