Sphinx statue from the temple of Kom Ombo

الملخص EN

The Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquity conducted in 2018 a project within the enclosure of the temple of KomOmbo, which aimed to lowering the groundwater, in order to safe target level, to prevent continued capillary rise and salt attack in the temple foundations.

The local team of inspectors uncovered several stone objects within the area of the small Eastern gateway of the temple, which dates back to the reign of queen Hatshepsut (1502-1482) and king Thutmose III (1483-1450).

The primary object was a completely preserved sphinx statue of small size, made from sandstone, without inscriptions; in the same context there were two stelae, one is belonging to the time of Ptolemy V (204-180), while the other belongs to Seti I (1291-1278).

The location for the adjoining finds, together with the artistic features push us to put the sphinx within the Ptolemaic period.

The following pages are focusing on its functional purpose at the location of discovery.