Did The Great Sphinx Of Giza Have A Twin And Was It Destroyed By A Lightning Strike?

Ellen Lloyd - AncientPages.com - Few ancient structures have caused as much controversy as the Great Sphinx of Giza in Egypt. Scientists, archaeologists, and historians have debated its age, purpose, original appearance for a long time and the mysterious Egyptian structure raises more questions than answers.

Adding to all unsolved puzzles, there is also a controversial theory that suggests that the Sphinx of Giza once had a twin. If this is true, then what happened to the ‘second’ sphinx in Egypt? Where was is located and how was it destroyed?

Did The Sphinx Have A “Twin Sister”?

The theory that the Great Sphinx of Giza may have had a twin was put forward by historians, Gerry Cannon and Malcolm Hutton.

Working together with Egyptologist Bassam el-Shammaa, Cannon and Hutton are convinced there was once a second sphinx and they think they have evidence that can prove its existence.

The second sphinx was a female and the statue "disappeared" under unexplained circumstances. Cannon claims, however, that he managed to find the trail of the lost statue, analyzing the construction of the area around the pyramids.

Buried for thousands of years, the second sphinx is located on a second mound alongside the male sphinx, standing guard in front of one of the Great Pyramids.

Credit: vickycavanagh-hodge.com

The historians’ research pointed to the fact that any sphinx had to have been carved out of natural rock and long before sand covered the area. This means the statues must have been carved when the area had a much warmer and fertile climate. In ancient times, some thousand years ago, this vast area was fertile grassland.

Then something happened and the Green Sahara turned into a desert.

Today there is enough evidence to show that the Sahara desert had once a grassland ecosystem and was a much wetter place than it is today. The Great Sphinx and its companion must have been built during this time.

“The Sphinx had to have been carved when there was no sand there. You can’t carve a rock when it’s under sand. When it was not under sand was about 12,000 years ago and the Egyptians weren’t there,” Cannon said.

There are two sphinxes on the Dream Stele. 

Another piece of evidence that speaks in favor of the second sphinx theory is the Dream Stele or Sphinx Stela from the time of Pharaoh Tuthmosis IV. Two sphinxes are clearly depicted on the Dream Stele.

Did A Lightning Strike Destroy The Second Sphinx?

El Shammaa has investigated images taken by NASA’s Endeavor Satellite. In his opinion there is an underground anomaly near the great Sphinx and he thinks those are the remains of the twin.

What destroyed the second sphinx is unknown, but El Shammaa speculated it could have been lightning.

Most Egyptologists Are Uninterested In The Second Sphinx Theory

Cannon and Hutton have many who support their second sphinx theory, but there is also great opposition among Egyptologists who think the idea is far-fetched.

Credit: Le Sphinx de Gizeh - Culture Classe

In 2003, Cannot contacted Zahi Hawass, Egyptian archaeologist, Egyptologist, and former Minister of State for Antiquities Affairs and asked him to confirm his assumptions.

According to Cannon, the reply from Hawass was simple and negative. Hawass stated he had no intentions co-operating with Cannon since he only worked with and assisted serious, respectable institutions.

The Sphinx - Important Symbol To Many Ancient Civilizations

The theory that there was once second sphinx at Giza is not so crazy at all. Archaeological discoveries offer evidence sphinxes do come in pairs. Without an open-minded approach we can never solve the riddle of the twin sphinx. At present times, the possible existence of a second unknown sphinx remains an unsolved ancient mystery.

We tend to associate the sphinx with Egypt, but this intriguing creature was well-known in many other ancient places. Ancient civilizations considered the sphinx to be a guardian of knowledge and symbol of riddles and intrigue.

Written by  Ellen Lloyd – AncientPages.com

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