The most common and widely accepted theory about the Great Sphinx suggests the statue was erected for the Pharaoh Khafre (about 2603-2578 B.C.). Hieroglyphic texts suggest Khafre's father, Pharaoh Khufu, built the Great Pyramid, the oldest and largest of the three pyramids in Giza.

Is there a tomb in the Sphinx?

Sphinx is the human-headed lion in ancient Greek mythology; the term likely came into use some 2,000 years after the statue was built. There are hundreds of tombs at Giza with hieroglyphic inscriptions dating back some 4,500 years, but not one mentions the statue.

Who might the Sphinx represent?

Egyptian civilization - Architecture - Sphinx. The Great Sphinx at Giza, near Cairo, is probably the most famous sculpture in the world. With a lion's body and a human head, it represents Ra-Horakhty, a form of the powerful sun god, and is the incarnation of royal power and the protector of the temple doors.