US Scientists Uncover Great Sphinx Ancient Origins

A team of scientists from the United States claims to have unraveled the long-standing mystery of how the Great Sphinx in Egypt, standing for over 4,500 years, came into existence. Traditionally, experts believed that skilled stone masons hand-carved the iconic limestone statue in Giza, shaping its intricate features. However, researchers at New York University have now proposed an alternative theory, suggesting that Sphinx-like formations could have been naturally created through erosion.

The senior author of the study, Leif Ristroph, described their findings as providing a potential “origin story” for the emergence of Sphinx-like shapes through erosion. He elaborated on their discoveries, saying, “Our laboratory experiments showed that surprisingly Sphinx-like shapes can, in fact, emerge from materials eroded by fast flows.”

This groundbreaking revelation not only introduces the concept of nature playing a vital role in the statue’s formation but also implies that the natural formation might have served as inspiration for ancient Egyptians to transform it into the awe-inspiring statue it is today. Mr. Ristroph, in the study, explains, “These results shed light on what ancient peoples may have encountered in the Egyptian deserts and why they envisioned a fantastical creature.”

In essence, the research challenges the conventional belief that human craftsmanship was solely responsible for the Great Sphinx’s creation, offering a new perspective on the statue’s remarkable history. This revelation may reshape our understanding of the past and the creative processes of ancient civilizations.

Re-reported from the article originally published in The NDTV News