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Egyptian Artifacts

Great Sphinx of Tanis

Did you know that this sphinx π“Ž›π“…±π“ƒ­π“€ in the Louvre is one of the largest outside of Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š–?

The sphinx π“Ž›π“…±π“ƒ­π“€ is known as the β€œGreat Sphinx of Tanis” because it was found in the ruins of the Temple π“‰Ÿπ“π“‰ of Amun-Ra π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“Ίπ“‡³ in Tanis π“†“π“‚π“ˆ–π“π“Š–! Tanis π“†“π“‚π“ˆ–π“π“Š– was the capital of Egypt π“†Žπ“…“π“π“Š– from the 21st-23rd Dynasties. 

The sphinx π“Ž›π“…±π“ƒ­π“€ is made of red granite π“…“π“Œ³π“π“ŽΆ which is an extremely strong 𓄇𓏏𓂝𓏭 and durable rock π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“‚‹π“ˆ™! Red granite π“…“π“Œ³π“π“ŽΆ was very valued not only for its pink color but its durability. As you can see, the sphinx π“Ž›π“…±π“ƒ­π“€ retained its beautiful π“„€ features really well due to the characteristics of the rock π“‡‹π“ˆ–π“‚‹π“ˆ™

This sphinx π“Ž›π“…±π“ƒ­π“€ is so interesting because the cartouches of the pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 Merneptah π“‡³π“ƒ’π“ˆ–π“ˆ˜π“ŠΉπ“ŠΉπ“ŠΉ (19th Dynasty) and Sheshonq I π“‡‹π“ π“ˆ–π“Œ»π“†·π“†·π“ˆ–π“ˆŽ (22nd Dynasty) are both seen on the sphinx π“Ž›π“…±π“ƒ­π“€.  Why are two 𓏻 pharaoh’s 𓉐𓉻 names π“‚‹π“ˆ–π“¦ there?  Well, the Egyptians π“†Žπ“π“€€π“π“ͺ used to recycle monuments, a process called “usurping.” The practice of usurping was when the current pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 would take old pharaoh’s 𓉐𓉻 names π“‚‹π“ˆ–π“¦ off of monuments 𓏠𓏍 and put their own there! It is basically ancient plagiarism and it occurred quite frequently. 

Some Egyptologists say this sphinx π“Ž›π“…±π“ƒ­π“€ actually dates back to the Old Kingdom, as the face 𓁢𓏺 doesn’t represent any known pharaoh 𓉐𓉻! A book that I have says the sphinx π“Ž›π“…±π“ƒ­π“€ dates to the Middle Kingdom. We will probably never know when the sphinx π“Ž›π“…±π“ƒ­π“€ was carved which is both fascinating and frustrating at the same time! 

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