The Great Sphinx of Giza is a statue of a mythical creature with a lion's body and a human head.
The lion was not only a symbol of power in general, it is also very common throughout the Ancient Near East as a symbol of the solar cult and of royalty. The combination with the head of the king makes the latter a powerful symbol of royalty and divinity.
The face of the Sphinx is generally believed to represent the face of the Pharaoh Khafra.
With a height of 20m, it is not only the oldest but also the greatest sphinx and one of the biggest statues ever to have have been built in Ancient Egypt.
The Sphinx was built in about 2530 BC by the pharaoh Khafre, the builder and occupant of the second Giza pyramid.
The sphinx's face is a portrait of the king and the sphinx continued to be a royal portrait type through most of Egyptian history.
