Giza and the Sphinx

The Great Sphinx

By: Autumn Baxter

Egyptomania from antiquity through the modern era has its roots in colonialism and possession over Egyptian cultural property, distinctly visible throughout antiquity in the establishment of museums to house repossessed – i.e., looted – cultural property and artifacts, the movement of artifacts into private possession, and the privatization and controlled access to culturally significant sites.[1] This has continued throughout the modern era – though the accession into private collections is far less prevalent nowadays – and across the ages, we can also find examples of individuals in the tourism sector exacerbating colonialist ideologies and actions through their engagement with Egypt’s cultural property. 

The tombs in the necropolis at Giza plateau, more commonly referred to as the Great Pyramids of Giza, are arguably Egypt’s most prominent tourist attractions, both in the modern day as well as throughout centuries of Graeco-Roman colonization. The last surviving of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Great Pyramids of Giza have been a site of fascination by those enamored with Egypt since individuals were able to engage in cultural heritage tourism, and as tombs, they have also been sites of looting and disrespect from both individuals and colonial states. The Great Sphinx at Giza, previously only visible as a damaged head, was fully unearthed in the early 20th century. It had been buried for nearly four thousand years after its initial construction. It is the oldest surviving sculpture in Egypt, connected to a temple of red granite that has been credited with providing the most information on the mummification process. The Sphinx itself is made of limestone, a softer rock than red granite, which is made evident by the significant erosion of the lion body of the Sphinx and the prominent features of the face. The nose specifically is missing, though it could be from incidents more purposeful than time, rainfall, and friction. Additionally, fragments of a pharaonic beard belonging to the Sphinx are currently housed in the British Museum.

Modern-day tourism surrounding the Sphinx carries a similar level of ownership and possessive dismissal of boundaries that we see in historic colonialist thought, partly due to its proximity to the Pyramids of Giza. The Sphinx is nestled in a quarried dugout, once filled with sand, adjacent to the red granite temple. In modern times, there is blatant ignorance surrounding the site's structural stability and the necessary steps to ensure the longevity of both the Sphinx and the mummification temple. The ordinary tourist route from the temple up to the Sphinx allows easy access to the top of one wall of the mummification temple. It is an uphill battle to prevent tourists from standing on it for a better view or unobstructed pictures. In addition to the open hours allowing visitors to see the Sphinx from its right side until 4:00, there is also a nighttime sound and light show in the plaza directly in front of the Sphinx. The route around the Sphinx is very regulated, and foot traffic is unidirectional, so individuals may not backtrack out of the Sphinx the way they came – they must exit past vendors, whose livelihoods depend on the tourism industry and being permitted to set up shop at sites.

The amenities and transportation around the Sphinx and the Pyramids are soon to be under the administration of billionaire CEO Naguib Sawiris, who has plans to create a new visitors' center that also has food and shopping, as well as electric buses – similar to those at Hatshepsut’s Temple near Luxor. In addition to this, there are plans to “set a program to practice and rehabilitate street-vendors and the people who hire camels and horses within the site.” [2]  Despite the approval of the Supreme Council of Amenities, the privatization and monopolization of many services that are currently either not deemed necessary enough to have already been provided or divided among individuals participating in the formal or informal economy, is another way that possession over cultural property surfaces in Egypt. Additionally, though there is something to be said about the physical accessibility potentially provided by these future amenities, it is easy to see how criticisms may arise from the barriers that are to be put up to provide foreign tourists with an experience they view as more favorable. Those who rely on the tourism industry – whatever “rehabilitation” may mean for them – are sure to come out on the other side with less agency over their livelihoods. 

[1] Timothy, D., & Boyd, S. (2003). Heritage Tourism. Prentice Hall. http://www.pearson.ch/HigherEducation/Geography/HumanGeography/1471/9780582369702/Heritage-Tourism.aspx

[2] https://www.forbesmiddleeast.com/billionaires/arab-billionaires/billionaire-naguib-sawiriss-oih-inks-deal-to-operate-egypts-pyramids-area