Sphinx

The Sphinx is a mythological creature having the the head of a Man, the body of a Lion and a tail ending in a snake’s head.
The Sphinx features strongly in the mythology of Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece.

In Greek Mythology, the Sphinx had the body of a lion, the wings of a bird, the head of a woman and a tail ending in a snake’s head. The Greek Sphinx was female, showed no mercy and was treacherous.
In Egyptian Mythology, the Sphinx was male, had the head of a man, and was considered to be benevolent.
In both Mythologies, the Sphinx has enormous strength and acts as the Guardian of Temples.

In Luxor, 900 Sphinxes with Ram heads still form a 2 mile (3km) avenue.
The Avenue of the Sphinxes linked the Luxor Temple with The Temple of Mut at Karnak.
Originally, 1,350 Sphinxes lined the 2 mile (3km) route, built by Nectanebo I (380-363 BCE) and his name was inscribed on each Sphinx.

Also known as the Great Sphinx of Giza, Egypt, it is the largest Sphinx in the world.
The Great Sphinx is located to the east of the Pyramids and faces due East.
Pharaoh Khafre (c. 2,558-2,532 BCE) is thought to have built the Great Sphinx around the same time as he built the second largest Pyramid, the Pyramid of Khefre, also known as the Pyramid of Cephren.

The Sphinx continues to exist as part of the culture, and can be found in many Temple entrances. The Sphinx is usually referred to as the ‘man-lion’.
Sri Lanka
- the Sphinx forms part of the Buddhist tradition, and acts as the guardian of the North.
The Philippines
- the Sphinx is portrayed as half man, half eagle. It lives and defends the Bicol region, and if visitors cannot answer its riddles, they are carried off to the Mayon volcano and given to the God of the volcano as an offering.
Myanmar
- the Sphinx is shown on the corners of the Buddhist Temples known as a Stupa.
- In legend it was created to protect a Royal baby from female monsters.
Thailand
- the Sphinx is shown as walking upright, with the lower body of a lion or deer, and the upper body of a man.

In Greek Mythology, Hesiod in the Theogony, describes how Hera sent the Sphinx from Ethiopia to Thebes in Greece.
The Sphinx sat on the Acropolis, and brought Drought and Famine.
The Sphinx would only leave if the Thebans could answer her riddle.
Those who failed to answer correctly were strangled (in the same way that a lion kills its’ prey by biting its neck and eating it).

‘What creature speaks with one voice, yet walks first on four legs, then two legs then three legs?’.

Prince Oedipus, the son of the King and Queen of Thebes, gave the correct answer:
- ‘A Man: he walks on four legs as a baby, on two legs as a man, and with a walking stick, three legs in old age’.
The Sphinx then destroyed herself by leaping off the Acropolis.

Avenue of the Sphinxes, Luxor, Egypt