The Sphinx: Beard or No Beard? You Decide!

While waiting for my boss to get out of a meeting, I decided to answer the most stirring archaeological controversy since John Kerry's claimed trip to Cambodia: did the Sphinx have a beard? Some scholars say yes, pointing to the remains of a giant beard found in the vicinity of the Sphinx. Others say no, pointing to a giant safety razor also found in the vicinity of the Sphinx (still others claim the razor to be a cleverly fashioned hoax). Now you can decide: Did the Sphinx have a beard? And if so, should he shave the darned thing off in order to be more popular with the ladies? YOU DECIDE.

Face of the Sphinx - A Better Photoshop Reconstruction

A few months back I attempted a Photoshop reconstruction of the Sphinx.  It was mediocre.  Too much painting and not terribly realistic.  I now have Photoshop CS5, and it is a more powerful tool.  So I tried it again and the results are much better.  Here it is.  (Note to all school students, feel free to use for homework assignments.)

The Sphinx is around 4,500 years old, and may be in danger of extinction due to the Islamic fanatics now ruling Egypt.  It was Muslims who defaced the monument centuries ago, and there is talk now of blowing it up -- it is "pagan" and "idolatory" don't cha know.

I have often wondered what the Sphinx looked like 45 centuries back.  Maybe it looked something like this.