The face, though better preserved than most of the statue, has been battered by centuries of weathering and vandalism. In 1402, an Arab historian repo
The face, though better preserved than most of the statue, has been battered by centuries of weathering and vandalism. In 1402, an Arab historian reported that a Sufi zealot had disfigured it “to remedy some religious errors.” Yet there are clues to what the face looked like in its prime. Archaeological excavations in the early 19th century found pieces of its carved stone beard and a royal cobra emblem from its headdress. Residues of red pigment are still visible on the face, leading researchers to conclude that at some point, the Sphinx’s entire visage was painted red. Traces of blue and yellow paint elsewhere suggest to Lehner that the Sphinx was once decked out in gaudy comic book colors Taken @Cairo, Egypt
Size: 6026px × 4026px
Photo credit: © Tjetjep Rustandi / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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