Here is a possible concise summary of the text:
The text is about the mystery of the Sphinx, the largest ancient statue in the world. It presents two different theories about its age, origin, and purpose. The first theory is the official one, which claims that the Sphinx was carved by King Khafre around 2500 BC. The second theory is the alternative one, which argues that the Sphinx is much older, dating back to 10,000 BC or earlier, and that it was built by a lost civilization that had advanced knowledge and technology. The text also discusses the evidence and arguments for each theory, such as the erosion marks, the alignment with the stars, the facial features, and the inventory stela. The text also mentions the possibility of a second Sphinx and a catastrophic event that destroyed the ancient civilization. The text ends with a tribute to John Anthony West, a researcher who died in 2018.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. In 1990, geologist Robert Schock from Boston University visited Egypt to study the Sphinx from a geological perspective.
2. Initially, Schock believed the classical theory that the Sphinx was carved around 2500 BC by King Khafre.
3. Despite many questions surrounding the Sphinx, Schock concluded that it is much older than what is known.
4. Schock estimated that the Sphinx dates to around 10,000 years BC.
5. The Sphinx is the largest ancient statue in the world, carved from a single rock, 73m long and 20m high.
6. The Sphinx was carved from the bedrock itself, with huge blocks of stones removed from around it.
7. The blocks removed from around the Sphinx are currently used to form the temples in front of it.
8. Robert Schock collaborated with independent researcher John Anthony West to study the Sphinx.
9. They found clear marks of erosion on the Sphinx's body, which could only be explained by water erosion.
10. The erosion marks on the Sphinx's body are similar to those found on the enclosure walls and the bedrock under the Sphinx.
11. Seismic studies were conducted around the Sphinx to study the form of the bedrock under the Sphinx.
12. The studies found that the bedrock under the Sphinx is eroded, with a decomposed layer up to 3 meters deep in some areas.
13. The erosion of the bedrock under the Sphinx could only be explained by prolonged exposure to rain.
14. The Sphinx is not proportional to its body, with a small head compared to its body.
15. The head of the Sphinx may not be its original head, but rather a re-sculpted version.
16. The original head of the Sphinx may have eroded over time, and the current head may have been re-sculpted by the kings of the dynastic period.
17. The face of the Sphinx does not resemble the face of King Khafre, contradicting the claim that Khafre carved the Sphinx.
18. The statue of Khafre was found in the Valley Temple in front of the Sphinx, but this does not necessarily mean that Khafre carved the Sphinx.
19. The Inventory Stela, found in the Egyptian Museum, mentions that King Khufu repaired and decorated the Sphinx, indicating that the Sphinx was present before Khufu's time.
20. The Roman historian Pliny believed that the Sphinx was older than the dynastic period and was from the "followers of Horus" period.
21. Some historians and scholars believe that the Sphinx was prior to the dynastic period.
22. The Dream Stela, found between the paws of the Sphinx, mentions that King Thutmose IV made offerings to two Sphinxes, not just one.
23. The majority of Sphinx statues are dual, with two statues on either side of a road or temple.
24. Robert Bauval proposed that the pyramids and the Sphinx date back to around 10,500 BC, and that the Sphinx is aligned with the constellation of Leo.
25. The Nile River is aligned with the Milky Way, and the seven pyramids are equivalent to the seven stars in the sky.
26. The Sphinx is equivalent to the stars of the Lion, and this coincidence repeats every 26,000 years.
27. Robert Schock and John Anthony West's theory about the age of the Sphinx was met with criticism from Egyptologists, who claimed that it was an "American hallucination."
28. The theory of a lost civilization that built the pyramids and the Sphinx is not supported by sufficient evidence.
29. The era of the gods in Egyptian history is believed to have existed before the dynastic period.
30. The kings of Shemsu-Hor, or the followers of Horus, are believed to have existed before the dynastic period and may have built the pyramids and the Sphinx.