The Great Sphinx, Pyramids of Giza, Egypt

During his trip to Egypt, Elisofon visited Jīzah, Ahrāmāt al-, the site of three pyramids from the 4th dynasty (ca. 2613-ca. 2494), built on a rocky plateau near al-Jizah (Giza); one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World; built by kings Khufu (Cheops), Khafre (Chephren) & Menkaure (Mycerinus). [The J. P. Getty Fund: Thesaurus of Geographical Names]. The photograph depicts the Great Sphinx standing guard before the pyramid of Khafre, for whom this fusion of man and lion was sculpted in about 2500 b.c., it was the first truly colossal royal sculpture in the history of ancient Egypt. This photograph was taken when Eliot Elisofon was on assignment for American Institute of Architects, directing the Egyptian portion of the documentary on Ancient Egypt, March 1965 and September 1965.