Talking Pyramids

The Sphinx as seen in the late 19th century

This week’s Friday Photo is of the Sphinx at Giza. Click on the image to see the accompanying annotations, drawings and information about Egyptian deities.

The Riddle of the Sphinx has been solved by an inscription at Edfu which shows it to be a transformation of Horus who in order to vanquish Set took the shape of a human headed lion. It represents Harmachis [Horus on the Horizon] the new born light which expels darkness, the soul which overcomes death, the fertility which expels barrenness. Harmachis in the burial places promises Resurrection to the Dead. Dwelling on the outskirts of the desert he overcomes sterility and prevents the sand from overwhelming the fields. Turned directly towards the East his face first reflects te brilliance of the rising sun and he illumines the world after the darkness of night. The kings chose the Sphinx to symbolize their divine mission as monarchs.

The great God of Heliopolis ranking next to Ptah is Ra, who as a child rises in the morning as Harmachis. At midday is Ra as an old man at sunset he is Tum and Khnum at night the nocturnal link between evening and morning.

Photograph reproduced with permission from the Boston Public Library / CC BY 2.0

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This entry was posted on Friday, October 23rd, 2009 at 10:20 am and is filed under Photos. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.