The Great Sphinx at Giza is probably the most iconic and recognizable monument in the world. It measures 240 feet (73 meters) long and 66 feet (20 meters) high, and is one of the world’s largest monuments. Commonly, and widely accepted, is the theory that the Great Sphinx was erected for the Pharaoh Khafre (roughly 2603-2578 B.C.). However, the age of the Great Sphinx is still hotly debated in academic circles. New evidence has been brought forth that places the age of the original construction of the Sphinx much further in the past (estimated to be approximately 12,500 years ago, or 11,000 - 10,500 B. C. ). The evidence is based on the weathering of the stone, both on the body of the Sphinx and on the enclosure wall.
Dr. Robert Schoch
Geologist Dr. Robert Schoch has used the weathering pattern to estimate the new date. He has stated that the weathering on both the enclosure walls and on the body of the Sphinx (not the head) are due specifically to precipitation or rainfall and that it would have taken an enormous amount of time to produce the weathering observed at present. The head of the Sphinx is excluded from the estimation because it is not nearly as weathered as the body, and is assumed to have been re-carved at a later date, which further lends credence to the theory of a more ancient date for original construction of the Sphinx complex. There are no decorations or hieroglyphs on the Great Sphinx itself. A single stele stands between the paws, and because it is not attached to the body, could have been placed there at a date later than the original construction. Too, Dr. Robert Schoch and his team performed seismic surveys of the area around the Great Sphinx and discovered that there is a void beneath the left front paw of the Sphinx. He has stated that he has re-examined the seismic data recently and confirms that not only is there a void, but that it is not just an amorphous cavern, and that it is a rectangular room with things stored in it. Are these, and similar epiphanies possibly informing us that there was an Ancient Builder race that existed prior to the last ice age? The weathering is obvious on the body of the Great Sphinx, but the enclosure walls are quite dramatic in their appearance of weathering. The body of the Sphinx was carved right out of the bedrock. The stones cut and removed from the enclosure area weigh in excess of one hundred tons and were used in the construction of the temple just in front of the Sphinx enclosure. When we compare the head and body, notice that the head and face are not nearly as weathered as the body or the enclosure. When the date of construction is pushed back to the very end of the last ice age, one must consider the possibility of an ancient and technologically advanced race or culture that had the capability to build such enormous and megalithic monuments.
To Learn More about Dr. Robert Schoch's work on the Great Sphinx, please visit his website at: www.robertschoch.com
