328 THE SPHINX. 



THE SPHINX. 



The Journal des Dehats has lately received from M. Maspero a letter 

 describing what he will do with the 12,000 fr. subscribed in Paris to aid him 

 in his excavations round the Sphinx of Ghizeh. He says : — " I am going 

 now to work on two points, the right paw and the first steps of the stair. 

 The stones of the right paw are covered with Greek votive inscriptions ; 

 those of the left paw bear none. This is at least an indication that the 

 piety of the faithful was called more into play on the right, that is to say 

 on the south, than on the left side. Perhaps there was a direct communi- 

 cation between the Sphinx and the granite temple which lies in that 

 direction, and if so there is a chance of finding, on the way, a group of 

 statues similar to that which Mariette discovered at the Serapeum. It 

 may also be that some unknown chapel, is concealed in the space which 

 separates the Sphinx from the granite temple. In any case that is a 

 question to be settled in a week or two. The problem connected with 

 the first steps of the stair is, in my opinion, a very curious one. The 

 Egyptian sculptors always represent the Sphinx of Ghizeh as placed 

 on a cubic pedestal, ornamented with grooves and designs analogous 

 to those observed on the different sarcophagi of the old Empire. Were 

 they following an artistic caprice, or were they simply reproducing what 

 they saw ? In other words, is the Sphinx able to rest on a bed of rock, or 

 has a gigantic pedestal been cut for it in the mountain from the top of which 

 it looked down on the plain ? On the latter hypothesis there would be a 

 chance of finding on the east side, the door of a temple or tomb. It might 

 prove to be the tonib of Menes. The pedestal may have disappeared in 

 Roman times, and the Ptolemies may have constructed their monumental 

 stair over the sand which covered it. As soon as I have found the first 

 steps, it will be easy for me to see if the platform in front of the Sphinx 

 is cut perpendicularly or if the rock advances in a gradual slope. This 

 will be ascertained by a few plumbings judiciously made." — Ed. 



