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Sphinx of Memphis

The Sphinx of Memphis, also known as the Alabaster Sphinx, is a stone sphinx near the remains of Memphis, Egypt. It was likely carved between 1700 and 1400 BCE during the 18th Dynasty, but no inscriptions identify the pharaoh it honors. Based on its facial features, it has been associated with Hatshepsut, Amenhotep II, or Amenhotep III. Measuring 8 m long and 4 m high, it is smaller than the Great Sphinx of Giza but still one of the largest Egyptian alabaster monuments. The sculpture weighs around 90 tons and sits on a foundation that makes it appear to rise from the sand. Its striations on the left side are a particularly unusual feature.

The Sphinx of Memphis, a weathered stone sphinx with a pharaonic headdress and false beard, stands on a rough base amid palm trees.
The Sphinx of Memphis shown as a weathered stone statue with a human head and leonine body.
· CC BY-SA 2.5
The Sphinx of Memphis stands on open ground with tall palm trees and dense foliage behind it.
The Sphinx of Memphis shown outdoors with palm trees and vegetation in the background.
© · CC BY-SA 4.0
The Sphinx of Memphis on a low stone base in a sandy open area with palm trees and small stalls in the background.
The Sphinx of Memphis stands in an open sandy area with palm trees, stalls, and buildings behind it.
September 2025 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
A weathered sphinx of Memphis stands in a desert landscape with palm trees and camel riders in the distance.
The Sphinx of Memphis in a desert setting, with palm trees and distant travelers on camels.
© · Public domain
The Sphinx of Memphis with a man in a suit and fedora standing beside it under a cloudy sky.
The Sphinx of Memphis is shown in black and white with a man standing beside the ancient statue.
February 2012 © · CC BY-SA 3.0

Identification

NameSphinx of Memphis
Alternative nameAlabaster Sphinx
Original Polish nameSfinks z Memfis
Typesphinx statue

Historical context

Dateapproximately 1700–1400 BCE
PeriodNew Kingdom of Egypt, probably the 18th Dynasty
Memphis statusCapital of Ancient Egypt and of the First Nome of Lower Egypt

Creator

Depicted figureUnknown; proposed identifications are Hatshepsut, Amenhotep II, or Amenhotep III
Basis for identificationFacial features; no inscriptions survive

Discovery and provenance

Discovery year1912
DiscovererWilliam Flinders Petrie
Associated institutionBritish School in America
Discovery contextFound jutting out of a sand hill, with only part of the object visible above the sand
Follow-up excavationIn 1913 further digging identified the visible part as a sphinx's tail; excavation in 1912 was not pursued further because it was too late in the season

Physical characteristics

Visible surface featuresStriations on the left side, uncommon on Egyptian monuments
Relative sizeConsiderably smaller than the Great Sphinx of Giza
Dimensions8 m long and 4 m high
WeightApproximately 90 tons

Materials

MaterialEgyptian alabaster, possibly calcite
Material propertiesYellowish white, soft stone

Appearance

DescriptionCarved sculpture in the form of a sphinx
SupportSupported by a foundation that makes it appear to rise out of the sand

Iconography and meaning

Symbolic associationBelieved to have a mystical connection to the Sun
Cultural viewConsidered beautiful in ancient Egypt

Location and ownership

Original locationSouth side of the Great Temple of Ptah in Memphis, next to a colossus of Ramesses II
Associated templeGreat Temple of Ptah
Associated deityPtah
Temple deity roleCreator god and master builder; inventor of masonry; patron of architects and craftsmen; associated with healing power
Geographic contextMemphis, south of the Nile Delta, in the region between Lower and Upper Egypt

History and restoration

SurvivalOne of the few masterpieces to survive the ravaging and pillaging of Memphite temples

Significance

NotabilityOne of the largest monuments ever made from Egyptian alabaster