The Great Sphinx of Giza, together with the Great Pyramids, are one of the most iconic and popular tourist destinations in the world. At 73.5 metres long, 19.3 metres wide and 20.22 metres high, it's also the world's largest monolith statue and the oldest known monumental sculpture. Authors believe the Sphinx was built between 2558–2532 BC, during the reign of the Pharaoh Khafra, who is generally presumed to be the profile depicted in the statue. 

The Great Sphinx partially under the sand in the 1870s, image by National Media Museum via Wikimedia Commons

Over the years, the Sphinx became buried in sand, with only its head remaining visible. The first modern archaeological excavation was carried out in 1817 AD, when crews revealed the chest of the statue. French Egyptologist Émile Baraize led digs between 1925 and 1936, finally uncovering the full monument. During that time, part of the Sphinx's headdress was damaged due to erosion, and Egyptian government engineers had to repair the head in 1931. It's one-metre-wide nose has also been lost to history, with no confirmed explanations as to how that occurred. Today, the paws of the Sphinx are visible and the statue's full profile majestically rests against the backdrop of the Pyramids. 

The Great Sphinx in modern times, image by Mavila2 via Wikimedia Commons

Have an idea for a future Throwback Thursday? Let us know by leaving a comment in the field below!