The Sphinx of Tuthmosis III is a symbol of power and wisdom
The Sphinx is a statue of a mythical creature with the body of a lion and the head of a human. It was carved from limestone. It was likely that it was originally covered with a layer of plaster and colored, and traces of the original colors are still visible next to one of its ears.
It is an unparalleled masterpiece in Egyptian history, embodying the character of the great king with his human head and lion's body. This statue was made of solid stone that does not tolerate corrosion, and shows precision and mastery in sculpture and decoration. This statue expresses the strength and wisdom of Tuthmosis III, who led Egypt to a golden age of prosperity and openness. The statue bears the name of the king as an Egyptian god, and refers to the reverence of kings in the form of the Sphinx. God of the sun and sky. This statue is one of the oldest statues of the Sphinx, and it joins a wonderful group of similar statues in the Metropolitan Museum. It is a unique statue that tells the eternal story of Egypt, reflects the spirit of the brave and great king, and constitutes a witness to Egypt’s ancient history.
The Great Sphinx is one of the largest and oldest statues in the world, but some basic facts about it, such as when it was built, who built it and for what purpose, are still debated.
Names
It is impossible to determine what name the Sphinx's builders gave their statue, as the Sphinx does not appear in any known inscription of the Old Kingdom of Egypt and there are no inscriptions anywhere describing its construction or original purpose. In the New Kingdom of Egypt the Sphinx is venerated as the solar god Hor-em-Akhet ((Arabic: Horus on the horizon), (Coptic: ϩⲁⲣⲙⲁϣⲓ), (Hellenistic: Harmachis). The commonly used name “Sphynx” was given to it in classical antiquity, about 2,000 years after the generally accepted date of its construction. The name Sphinx is a reference to the Greek mythological monster Sphinx with the head of a human, a falcon, or A cat or sheep and the body of a lion with the wings of an eagle. (Although the Great Sphinx, like other Egyptian sphinxes, has the head of a man and does not have wings like the Greek Sphinx.) The English word sphynx comes from the ancient Greek word sphinx, after the Greek mythological creature.
Source: websites