What can you tell me about the Sphinx in Giza?

Dr. dig responds:
The Great Sphinx is part of the funerary complex of the Egyptian pharaoh, Khafre, who reigned between 2558 and 2532 B.C. more than 4,000 years ago.

Some recent non-sensical theories have suggested that the Sphinx is many thousands of years older than the pyramids, but there is no foundation for such fantasies. Its face is believed to represent Khafre, which makes it the oldest large-scale royal portrait known.

Here are some sphinx facts to tell your friends!:

1. The Great Sphinx was carved from a single outcrop of limestone.

2. The Great Sphinx is the largest free-standing sculpture in the ancient world.

3. The sands of the Sahara Desert buried the Great Sphinx of Giza up to its neck for most of its history.

4. The Great Sphinx at Giza has the body of a lion and the head of a king.

5. The Great Sphinx is not the only carved Sphinx. There are hundreds of others with the heads of pharaohs, including one with the head of Queen Hatshepsut.