The Egyptian Name of the Great Sphinx: Hr-m-akhet (Horemakhet)
In later Egyptian tradition, the Sphinx is associated with the name Hr-m-akhet, meaning Horus in the Horizon—a solar deity linked to kingship, rebirth, and the rising sun.
Across its long history, the monument has also been known by several other names, including:
Curiously, if the current Egyptological consensus is correct, the Sphinx appears to have had no recorded name for roughly the first 1,000 years of its existence. No surviving inscription from the Old Kingdom explicitly identifies it.
Who Built the Great Sphinx?
Most Egyptologists attribute the Sphinx to the Fourth Dynasty (c. 2500 BCE), suggesting it was carved during the reign of:
Khufu
Djedefre
or most commonly, Khafre
This attribution is based primarily on archaeological context—particularly its alignment with Khafre’s pyramid complex—rather than definitive inscriptions.
Around 1400 BCE, the Dream Stele of Thutmose IV records how the Pharaoh Thutmose IV restored the Sphinx after receiving a divine vision, in which the monument—speaking as Horemakhet—promised kingship in return for its clearance from the sand.
Alternative Theories and Deep Antiquity
Not all scholars agree with this conventional chronology.
Researchers such as Robert Bauval, Graham Hancock, and Robert Schoch have argued—based on geological weathering patterns and astronomical alignments—that the Sphinx may be far older, possibly dating back as far as 10,000 BCE or earlier.
These interpretations remain controversial and are not widely accepted within mainstream Egyptology, but they continue to play a significant role in ongoing debate.
Was the Head of the Great Sphinx Recarved?
In more recent years, attention has shifted toward a different question: whether the Sphinx originally had a different head.
The head of the Sphinx (approximately 9.5 metres long) appears disproportionately small compared to the body (approximately 72.5 metres in total length). This has led some researchers to suggest that the head may have been re-carved at a later date.
Proposals include:
A jackal head (Anubis) — proposed by Robert Temple and Olivia Temple
A lion’s head — proposed by Colin Reader
A falcon head (hieracosphinx) — suggested by Matt Sibson
While none of these hypotheses has been definitively proven, the proportional disparity remains an active area of discussion.
Where the debate will turn next is uncertain.
What is clear is that the Great Sphinx continues to inspire intense interest, disagreement, and interpretation across disciplines—archaeology, geology, mythology, and beyond.
It is entirely possible—perhaps even likely—that some of its secrets will remain unresolved.
And this may be part of its enduring power.
For over four millennia, the Sphinx has sat in plain sight at the edge of the desert—its gaze fixed on the eastern horizon—at once visible to all, yet never fully grasped.
