art.wikisort.org - Sculpture

The Sphinx of Memphis is a stone sphinx located near the remains of Memphis, Egypt. The carving was believed to take place between 1700 and 1400 BCE, which was during the 18th Dynasty.[1] It is unknown which pharaoh is being honored and there are no inscriptions to supply information. The facial features imply that the Sphinx is honoring Hatshepsut, or Amenhotep II, or Amenhotep III.[1]

Discovery

The Alabaster Sphinx was discovered in 1912, when an affiliate from the British School in America spotted a uniquely carved object jutting out of a sand hill. It was so far in the season that excavation was useless, but a year later in 1913 further digging displayed that the object was a Sphinx's tail.[2]

Composition

The Sphinx of Memphis is also referred to as the Alabaster Sphinx of Memphis, or the Calcite Sphinx. It is the largest calcite statue ever discovered.[2][3]

The minerals alabaster or calcite in the sphinx's names refer to the yellowish white, soft stone it is carved from; archaeologists and stonemasons have different criteria from mineralogists for distinguishing the very similar minerals calcite and alabaster.[4] Calcite is a simple and common material that has been mined from the earth for centuries.[4] This natural stone was considered beautiful, and in ancient Egypt was believed to have a mystical connection to the Sun.[4]

Physical attributes

With a length of 8 m (26 ft) and a height of 4 m (13 ft), the Sphinx of Memphis is considerably smaller than the more recognized Great Sphinx of Giza. At those dimensions, it is estimated to weigh around 90 tons.[1] It is supported by a foundation that makes it appear to rise out of the sand.[5] Particularly unusual about the Sphinx of Memphis are the striations on its left side, which are uncommon on Egyptian monuments.[6]

Other information

As years passed from the sphinx's creation, people ravaged Memphite temples and the Sphinx of Memphis is one of the few masterpieces that survived this pillaging.[7] During its time this statue was also displayed near a temple in honor of Ptah. Ptah was one of the Egyptians' world-creator gods.[8]

References

На других языках

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- [en] Sphinx of Memphis

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[es] Esfinge de Alabastro

La esfinge de Alabastro es una escultura en forma de esfinge tallada en el Imperio Nuevo de Egipto, aproximadamente entre los años 1700 a. C. - 1400 a. C., posiblemente durante la dinastía XVIII de Egipto.

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