The Great Sphinx of Giza is perhaps the most iconic and recognizable monument of ancient Egypt. This colossal limestone statue, with the head of a human and the body of a lion, has stood guard over the Giza Plateau for an astonishing 4,500 years. However, one of the Sphinx‘s most striking features is actually an absence – its missing nose. The one-meter wide nose that once adorned the Sphinx‘s serene face has long since disappeared, leaving only a gaping hole.
The mystery of how and why the nose was removed has puzzled historians, archaeologists, and the public for centuries. Many theories and legends have arisen over the years to explain the Sphinx‘s unfortunate disfigurement. But what does the historical and archaeological evidence actually tell us about this enduring enigma? Let‘s dive deeper into the story of the Sphinx‘s missing nose from a historian‘s perspective.
The Creation and Erosion of the Sphinx
To understand what happened to the Sphinx‘s nose, it‘s important to first examine the statue‘s origins and construction. The Sphinx was carved directly from the bedrock of the Giza Plateau during the reign of the Old Kingdom Pharaoh Khafre around 2558-2532 BC. It was one of many monuments built to honor Khafre, along with the second-tallest of the famous Giza pyramids.
When it was first constructed, the Sphinx likely had a very different appearance than the weathered and battered statue we see today. The entire monument was originally covered in a layer of painted limestone plaster, giving it a much smoother and more colorful visage. The nose that is now missing would have been an integral part of this original sculpted face.
Over the ensuing millennia, the Sphinx endured a tremendous amount of erosion and deterioration. The softer limestone of the Sphinx‘s body was more susceptible to weathering from wind and sand than the harder stone used for the head. Gradually, the Sphinx‘s lower body was buried up to its neck in sand, with only the head remaining visible. By medieval times, the Sphinx was often referred to as "the head of the watchman" since the rest of its body had disappeared beneath the desert dunes.
It‘s possible that this erosion and exposure played a role in the loss of the nose. The softer limestone of the nose may have been more vulnerable to damage than the harder stone of the face. However, as we‘ll see, the evidence suggests that the nose was deliberately removed by human hands rather than simply eroding away over time.
Debunking the Napoleon Legend
One of the most persistent myths about the Sphinx‘s missing nose is that it was destroyed by cannonballs fired by Napoleon Bonaparte‘s army during the French campaign in Egypt in 1798. This story has been repeated countless times in books, articles, and documentaries about the Sphinx.
However, this legend is easily disproven by the historical record. In 1737, over 60 years before Napoleon set foot in Egypt, the Danish explorer and naval captain Frederic Louis Norden traveled throughout the country and made numerous drawings of its ancient monuments, including the Sphinx. Norden‘s extraordinarily detailed drawing clearly depicts the Sphinx without a nose, confirming that this feature was already missing by the early 18th century.
Frederic Louis Norden‘s 1737 drawing of the Sphinx, clearly showing the missing nose. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
While Norden‘s drawing definitively debunks the Napoleon story, it also provides a tantalizing clue about when the nose might have been removed. Since Norden was one of the first Europeans to travel to Giza and document the Sphinx, his drawing suggests the nose had already been missing for some time, likely several centuries at least.
The Legend of Muhammad Sa‘im al-Dahr
Another common story about the Sphinx‘s nose comes from the 15th-century Arab historian al-Maqrizi. In his writings, al-Maqrizi claimed that in the year 1378 AD, a Sufi Muslim named Muhammad Sa‘im al-Dahr was outraged to see the local Egyptian peasants making offerings to the Sphinx in hopes of a better harvest. In an act of religious iconoclasm, Sa‘im al-Dahr allegedly destroyed the Sphinx‘s nose, and was later executed for vandalism.
While this story is often repeated, it is considered somewhat unreliable by modern historians. Al-Maqrizi was writing over 50 years after the alleged incident, and there are no other known historical references to Sa‘im al-Dahr or his act of defacement. Additionally, the Sphinx was already in a heavily eroded and damaged state by the 14th century, so it‘s unlikely that the nose was still intact at that time.
Archaeological Evidence of Deliberate Destruction
So if the nose wasn‘t destroyed by Napoleon‘s army or Muhammad Sa‘im al-Dahr, what does the archaeological evidence tell us about how it was removed? In the 1980s, the American archaeologist Mark Lehner conducted a detailed study of the Sphinx‘s face and found convincing evidence that the nose had been deliberately chiseled off.
Lehner discovered clear tool marks that indicated the nose had been carefully and systematically removed by chiseling from above. He also noted that the surface of the face surrounding the nose had different patterns of erosion and wear, suggesting that the nose had been removed long before the rest of the Sphinx suffered its most severe deterioration.
Based on the archaeological evidence, Lehner concluded that the nose was likely broken off sometime between the 3rd and 10th centuries AD. This would place the timing of the nose‘s removal several centuries after the Sphinx was built, but still long before the alleged vandalism by Sa‘im al-Dahr in the 14th century.
So why would someone deliberately deface the Sphinx by removing its nose during this period? One theory is that it could have been an act of politically or religiously motivated vandalism. The Sphinx was seen as a powerful spiritual guardian, and attacking or disfiguring it may have been a way for a ruler or religious sect to assert their authority and supremacy.
It‘s also possible that the nose was removed to be reused for another purpose, as was sometimes the case with other ancient monuments. The limestone of the Sphinx was a valuable building material and could have been repurposed for other projects. However, since the nose has never been found, its ultimate fate remains unknown.
Physical Changes and Damages to the Sphinx
The missing nose is actually just one of many physical changes and damages the Sphinx has endured over its long history. During the Old Kingdom period when the Sphinx was built, there is evidence of an extensive restoration project that repaired cracks and damage to the statue‘s lower body. Restoration efforts continued during later periods as well, with the Romans plastering and painting the Sphinx to repair erosion and deterioration.
In addition to the missing nose, the Sphinx has also lost other key features over time. It likely originally had a ceremonial pharaonic beard and a crown or headdress, but these adornments fell off and disappeared long ago. In the early 19th century, holes were even drilled into the Sphinx‘s head to install a lightning rod, causing further damage.
Despite all of these changes and indignities, the Sphinx has endured for over 4,500 years as a testament to the ingenuity and grandeur of the ancient Egyptians. Even without its nose, this colossal guardian of the Giza Plateau continues to inspire awe and wonder in those who behold it.
The Sphinx‘s Enduring Mysteries and Meaning
The mystery of the Sphinx‘s missing nose is just one small piece of this monument‘s long and enigmatic history. For the ancient Egyptians, the Sphinx was imbued with powerful spiritual and symbolic significance. Its form, combining human and animal features, represented the divine power and wisdom of the pharaohs who were seen as intermediaries between the gods and the mortal world.
But the Sphinx‘s meaning and purpose have been continually reinterpreted over the centuries. In medieval Islamic folklore, the Sphinx was sometimes seen as a talisman that could provide protection from the desert winds. European travelers in the 17th and 18th centuries saw it as a symbol of ancient mysticism and esoteric wisdom.
Today, the Sphinx continues to captivate millions of people around the world. It has become an icon of ancient Egyptian civilization and a testament to humanity‘s enduring fascination with the mysteries of the past. The enigma of its missing nose only adds to its allure, provoking endless speculation and wonder.
In many ways, the Sphinx‘s damaged visage is a powerful metaphor for the ravages of time and the impermanence of even the mightiest of human creations. Like other ancient wonders that have endured for millennia, such as the Parthenon in Greece or the Colosseum in Rome, the Sphinx bears the scars of history. But it also reminds us of the indomitable human spirit – our capacity to create beauty, to seek meaning, and to leave a lasting mark on the world.
The Sphinx‘s missing nose may forever remain a mystery, but it is ultimately just a small detail in the awe-inspiring story of this ancient marvel. As long as the Sphinx continues to watch over the Giza Plateau, it will remain a source of fascination, inspiration, and wonder for generations to come.
