It was not built by people: a new study by scientists

A study conducted by a team of scientists from New York University presents a new approach to understanding the origins of the Great Sphinx of Giza.

Articles Feb 29, 2024 0 173 Add to Reading List

It was not built by people: a new study by scientists

Instead of the traditional concept that the Sphinx was created by Egyptian sculptors, researchers propose that the Sphinx is a natural formation created by natural processes.

The basis of their research was a natural formation known as yardang, which is formed by the weathering of rocks such as sandstone and clay. Yardangs often take the form of sitting or lying animals and can be found in desert areas with dry and hot climates, including northeastern Egypt, Physical Review Fluids reports.

Scientists have recreated the conditions for the formation of yardangs in the laboratory, using soft clay and water flow, simulating the blowing winds in the desert. Their experiments showed that under such conditions, a structure very similar to a sphinx can be formed from shapeless mounds: with a “head”, “neck”, “paws” and “back”.

Thus, the study suggests that the Great Sphinx of Giza may have been just a natural formation that the Egyptians gave to a more recognizable shape while maintaining the basic structure of the yardang.