Smiling mini sphinx found in Egypt
According to the BBC report, archaeologists found several artifacts inside a two-story tomb at the Dendera temple in Qena province, 450 kilometers south of Cairo.
The limestone sphinx with a smiling face and two dimples found at the excavation is believed to represent the Roman Emperor Claudius.
Claudius, whom archaeologists believe may have belonged to the statue’s smiling faces, extended Roman suzerainty to North Africa between AD 41 and 54.
It was claimed that the sphinx found was much smaller than the famous sphinx in the Giza pyramids. It is hoped that more information about the statue’s identity will be revealed by examining the markings on the stone slab.
In addition to the sphinx, the excavation also found a Roman stone slab containing demotic and hieroglyphic inscriptions. (AA)