Archaeologists scoff at claim of second Sphinx statue
An Egyptian tourism official claimed the discovery of a second statue of the Sphinx, sparking controversy and surprise in Egypt.
CAIRO — Reda Abdel Halim, the director of public relations for the Giza pyramids district at the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, told local media on Oct. 24 that he discovered a statue in the pyramids area that is of similar size to the Sphinx.
According to him, the statue is 73 meters high, with a head 20.5 meters high, and hands extended over 15.5 meters, like the Sphinx.
He added that scientific research was published at Zagazig University confirming the existence of this statue.
However, “This is completely not true,” Zahi Hawass, former Minister of Antiquities and an archaeologist who oversaw the pyramids area for nearly 20 years, told Al-Monitor.
