Egypt
The largest and most famous sphinx is the Great Sphinx of Giza, situated on the Giza Plateau adjacent to the Great Pyramids of Giza on the west bank of the Nile River and facing east (29°58′31″N 31°08′15″E). The sphinx is located southeast of the pyramids. Although the date of its construction is uncertain, the head of the Great Sphinx is mainly believed to bear the likeness of the pharaoh Khafra, while late 20th century geologists have argued that water erosion in and around the Sphinx enclosure proves the Sphinx predates Khafra, a claim that is sometimes referred to as the Sphinx water erosion hypothesis.
