Great Sphinx of Giza
- "The Great Sphinx. It's smaller than I expected."
- ―Bayek upon visiting the Sphinx, 48 BCE.[src]
The Great Sphinx of Giza, often known simply as the Sphinx, is a limestone sphinx statue located in Giza, Egypt.
Easily one of Egypt's more recognizable monuments, it lies within the Giza necropolis, a short distance to the east from the Pyramid of Khafre, and represents the mythical creature for which it is named. It is widely believed to be a monument to Khafre, built during the Old Kingdom.[1]
Description[edit | edit source]
Dating from the Fourth dynasty, approximately 2600 to 2500 BCE, the Great Sphinx of Giza is the largest and oldest Egyptian monument that is still standing. It was carved from a natural limestone outcrop and measures 19.8 meters tall, 73.2 meters long, and 14 meters wide.[2]
The modern Egyptian Arabic name for the Great Sphinx is أبو الهول (Abū al Hūl, English: "The Terrifying One", literally: "Father of Dread"), which is derived from Balhoula in the Coptic language.[3]
History[edit | edit source]
During his travels across Egypt in the mid-1st century BCE, Bayek encountered the Sphinx and explored a series of tunnels hidden below the statue, leading him to the Isu ruin of Eesfet Oon-m'Aa Poo.[4] The Medjay also visited the market set up in the colonnade near the monument during his search for the member of the Order of the Ancients known as the Hyena.[5]
Behind the scenes[edit | edit source]
The projection from the activated altar under the Great Sphinx is based on the diagrams on the Voyager Golden Record covers merged with the Dendera zodiac.
Gallery[edit | edit source]
-
Bayek on top of the Sphinx -
Lights on the ceiling -
Lights on the ceiling activated -
The vault's entrance
Appearances[edit | edit source]
- Assassin's Creed: Origins (first appearance)
- Discovery Tour: Ancient Egypt
- Assassin's Creed: Odyssey – Legacy of the First Blade
- Echoes of History – Origins (mentioned only)
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Discovery Tour: Ancient Egypt – Tours: The Riddles of the Sphinx: "When Was It Built & Who Does It Represent?
- ↑ Discovery Tour: Ancient Egypt – Tours: The Riddles of the Sphinx: "The Great Sphinx Of Giza"
- ↑ Discovery Tour: Ancient Egypt – Tours: The Riddles of the Sphinx: "Use of Limestone"
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Origins
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Origins – The Hyena