The profile of the Great Sphinx. Pyramids of Giza, Egypt

Object Details

Local Numbers: Negative number 1959 C-5, 9.
General: Title source: Index card based on photographer's notes.
Local Note: Typed index card reads, "T 6 Egy. Egypt. Giza. Great Sphinx. IV Dyn. 1959. EE. neg.no. 1959 C-5, 9." The card was written in 1977-79 by Archives staff using source provided by photographer.

See more items in: Eliot Elisofon Field collection; Eliot Elisofon Field collection / Egypt

Archival Repository: Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art

Type: Archival materials; Negatives (photographic); Black-and-white negatives; Negatives

Collection Citation: Eliot Elisofon Field Collection, EEPA 1973-001, Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution

Collection Rights: Permission to reproduce images from the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives must be obtained in advance. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.

Scope and Contents: During his trip to Egypt, Elisofon visited Jīzah, Ahrāmāt al-, the site of three pyramids from the 4th dynasty (ca. 2613-ca. 2494), built on a rocky plateau near al-Jizah (Giza); one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World; built by kings Khufu (Cheops), Khafre (Chephren) & Menkaure (Mycerinus). [The J. P. Getty Fund: Thesaurus of Geographical Names]. The photograph depicts the Great Sphinx standing guard before the pyramid of Khafre, for whom this fusion of man and lion was sculpted in about 2500 b.c., it was the first truly colossal royal sculpture in the history of ancient Egypt. This photograph was taken when Eliot Elisofon was on assignment for Life magazine and traveled to Africa from August 18, 1959 to December 20, 1959.

Collection Restrictions: Use of original records requires an appointment. Contact Archives staff for more details.