A Smiling Sphinx Statue That Resembles Claudius Was Unearthed in Egypt

This week, the Tourism and Antiquities Ministry of Egypt announced the discovery of a Roman-era sphinx statue. The artifact is made of limestone and was unearthed during excavations at the Dendera Temple in the Qena province, which is right next to the Nile. Archaeologists theorize that it may be a representation of the Roman emperor Claudius.

A Smiling Sphinx Statue

An archaeologist clearing the newly discovered smiling sphinx statue
A Smiling Sphinx Statue

From 30 B.C.E. until about 642 C.E., the Roman Empire ruled ancient Egypt, although some emperors, such as Claudius, never visited. Sphinxes in ancient Egypt were commonly associated with royalty or power, and the recently found statue has royal features with a slight smile, including two dimples. The sphinx’s face also shows remnants of red and yellow coloring.

In addition to its royal features, the newly discovered sphinx also has a nemes, a striped cloth headdress with a cobra-shaped tip known as a uraeus, which was worn by ancient Egyptian pharaohs. The sphinx was found during the cleaning of a water-storage basin made of red brick inside a two-level limestone shrine with steep sloping floors. Beneath the sphinx, a stone slab covered in hieroglyphics and script was discovered, but as of yet, no translations have been made.

The Sphinx Could Resemble Claudius

The unearthed smiling sphinx statue
The Sphinx Could Resemble Claudius

When the face of the sphinx was compared to depictions of Roman emperors, the conclusion was that Claudius was the best match. However, more research is necessary and outside experts who weren’t involved in the project have expressed doubts. It should also be noted that the basin where the sphinx was found dates back to the Byzantine era, which is around 500 years after Claudius’ reign.

If the newly discovered sphinx is indeed a depiction of Claudius, archaeologists would not be entirely surprised. Similar findings have been made in the past, such as the discovery of a sphinx-like sandstone bust resembling the Roman emperor Vespasian, who reigned from 69 to 79 C.E.

Beginning with magnetic and radar scans in mid-February, the researchers have started exploring the Temple of Horus and the Isis Gate in search of a road linking the two sites. The excavation work will continue and, hopefully, reveal more about the history of Egyptian civilization during the Greek and Roman periods.

Country Music Star Keith Urban Likes Feedback From the Audience

Keith Urban, the country music star – people know him too well. He married movie star Nicole Kidman in 2006 and has been winning hearts with his catchy tunes since the ’90s. As a notable celebrity in the industry, he is known for interacting with the audience, which only makes people love him more! There is one specific thing he likes to do, that he recently shared.

Keith Urban

He Often Interacts With the Audience

Keith recently did an interview with Billboard about a specific act he likes to do after his shows sometimes. The music star shared that he enjoys getting the opinion of his audience on the show they just witnessed. He gets his video crew to roam among the people and ask questions about the performance. He does this out of curiosity to see what tunes they loved him playing and what songs they enjoyed.

His Most Asked Question

Whenever he sends out his video crew to get the lay of the land after the show, there is one question he likes to ask the audience. Most often, that question is for newcomers. Keith Urban asks what made them come to the show. In the interview, he shared that most people were told to come by friends. That makes him pleasantly surprised that people are dragging others to his shows and making his audience grow each time.

Keith Urban during a concert

Keith Urban on Tour

He shares his desire to interview the audience because he noticed during his 2022 tour that he had many newcomers night after night. That made him curious to see what they were doing there and why they came to hear him. He says that during the shows, he would ask who’s never been there before and would be amazed at the number of hands that go up after the question was asked.

Keith Urban interacting with fans Tickets and dates for the upcoming 2023 tour are online. For those old and new fans of Keith Urban – go ahead and find the perfect date to immerse yourself in his catchy tunes!