Sphinx
Lion-bodied enigma
The Sphinx, without further specification, typically means the Great Sphinx of Giza—the colossal limestone statue with a lion's body and human head near the Egyptian pyramids.
It's one of the world's oldest and largest monumental sculptures: We visited the Sphinx at sunset.
The word also names the riddle-posing creature of Greek mythology. (Lowercase sphinx refers to the mythological creature type or an inscrutable person.)
Egyptian necropolis plateau
- pyramidsApex-topped geometric solids
- pharaohAncient Egyptian ruler
- NileAfrica's longest river
- limestoneCarbonate sedimentary rock
colossal · guardian · necropolis · desert · antiquity · monument · colossus · ancient
Large hovering lepidopteran
- LepidopteraButterfly and moth order
- nocturnalActive during darkness
- skullHead's bone casing
- caterpillarMoth or butterfly young
proboscis · pollinator · privet · wingspan · markings · insect · antennae · thorax
Giza
Egyptian necropolis plateau
limestone · colossal · guardian · necropolis · desert · antiquity · monument · colossus · ancient · statue
hawkmoth
Large hovering lepidopteran
- LepidopteraButterfly and moth order
- nocturnalActive during darkness
- skullHead's bone casing
caterpillar · proboscis · pollinator · privet · wingspan · markings · insect · antennae · thorax
- Egyptpyramids, Cairo, Nile, pharaoh, pyramid
- Middle EastIraq, Baghdad, Cairo, Iran, Jordan
- mythologyZeus, Apollo, Athena, Poseidon, Odin
- Ancient WondersGreat Pyramid, Colossus of Rhodes, Lighthouse of Alexandria, Temple of Artemis, Statue of Zeus
- city monumentsEiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty, Big Ben, Colosseum, Tower of Pisa
- GizaGreat Pyramid, Khufu, necropolis, pharaohs, causeway
Sphinxopen book
One easily understood
straight shooter · oracle · blabbermouth · truth-teller · gossip
- Great SphinxColossal human-lion statue, Egypt
- The SphinxHuman-headed lion statue