The Human-lion Figure Older Than the Sphinx
Can it provide us with a clue about the symbolism of the Sphinx?
The Sphinx is one of the most fascinating figures in human civilization. In Egyptian and Greek folklore, it is a human-lion hybrid creature with supernatural powers.
The Great Sphinx of Giza, Egypt, which is 4500 years old, is the first thing that comes to mind when we think of a Sphinx. But there were many other human-lion figures in the ancient world.
The Greeks, the Hittites, the Persians, and the Indians all had their own versions of a human with a lion’s body.
What does the Sphinx stand for? Why was it so popular in ancient times? Was it the first attempt by humans to imagine hybridization and genetic engineering? Or was there any religious significance to it?
While it is impossible to determine the actual meaning of the Sphinx, we may have a hint if we go back in time and look at the first human-lion figure we have unearthed.
How far back in time must we go?
At least 35,000 years ago! That is the age of the oldest known human-lion figure.
When I initially heard about this incredible finding, my immediate thought was, “What made ancient people think of a human-animal hybrid that…
