Sphinx, Pyramids, Egypt
A sphinx is a mythical creature with, as a minimum, the body
of a lion and a human head.
In Greek tradition, it has the haunches of a lion, sometimes
with the wings of a great bird, and the face of a human. It is mythicised as
treacherous and merciless. Those who cannot answer its riddle suffer a fate
typical in such mythological stories, as they are killed and eaten by this
ravenous monster. This deadly version of a sphinx appears in the myth and drama
of Oedipus. Unlike the Greek sphinx which was a woman, the Egyptian sphinx is
typically shown as a man (an androsphinx). In addition, the Egyptian sphinx was
viewed as benevolent, but having a ferocious strength similar to the malevolent
Greek version and were both thought of as a guardian often flanking the
entrances to temples. Sources
Karnak Temple, Egypt
The Karnak Temple Complex, commonly known as Karnak,
comprises a vast mix of decayed temples, chapels, pylons, and other buildings.
Building at the complex began during the reign of Senusret I in the Middle
Kingdom and continued into the Ptolemaic period, although most of the extant
buildings date from the New Kingdom. The area around Karnak was the ancient
Egyptian Ipet-isut ("The Most Selected of Places") and the main place
of worship of the eighteenth dynasty Theban Triad with the god Amun as its
head. It is part of the monumental city of Thebes. The Karnak complex gives its
name to the nearby, and partly surrounded, modern village of El-Karnak, 2.5
kilometres (1.6 miles) north of Luxor. Sources
Pyramid Giza, Egypt
The Great Pyramid of Giza (also known as the Pyramid of
Khufu or the Pyramid of Cheops) is the oldest and largest of the three pyramids
in the Giza Necropolis bordering what is now El Giza, Egypt. It is the oldest
of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the only one to remain largely
intact.
Based on a mark in an interior chamber naming the work gang
and a reference to fourth dynasty Egyptian Pharaoh Khufu, Egyptologists believe
that the pyramid was built as a tomb over a 10 to 20-year period concluding
around 2560 BC. Initially at 146.5 metres (481 feet), the Great Pyramid was the
tallest man-made structure in the world for over 3,800 years. Originally, the
Great Pyramid was covered by casing stones that formed a smooth outer surface;
what is seen today is the underlying core structure. Some of the casing stones
that once covered the structure can still be seen around the base. There have
been varying scientific and alternative theories about the Great Pyramid's
construction techniques. Most accepted construction hypotheses are based on the
idea that it was built by moving huge stones from a quarry and dragging and
lifting them into place.
The pyramid remained the tallest man-made structure in the
world for over 3,800 years, unsurpassed until the 160-metre-tall (520 ft) spire
of Lincoln Cathedral was completed c. 1300. The accuracy of the pyramid's workmanship
is such that the four sides of the base have an average error of only 58
millimetres in length. The King's Chamber is 10.47 metres (34.4 ft) from east
to west and 5.234 metres (17.17 ft) north to south. It has a flat roof 5.974
metres (19.60 ft) above the floor. 0.91 m (3.0 ft) above the floor there are
two narrow shafts in the north and south walls (one is now filled by an
extractor fan in an attempt to circulate air inside the pyramid). Sources
Nubian Village on The Banks of River Nile, Egypt
The Nile is a major north-flowing river in northeastern
Africa, generally regarded as the longest river in the world. It is 6,853 km
(4,258 miles) long. The Nile is an "international" river as its water
resources are shared by eleven countries, namely, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda,
Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, South
Sudan, Sudan and Egypt. In particular, the Nile is the primary water source of
Egypt and the northern Sudan. Sources
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