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

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

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.