A team of researchers from New York University in the United States proposes a fresh view of the Great Sphinx of Giza, suggesting that some features of the famous monument may have formed through natural erosion rather than being entirely shaped by human hands. The findings appeared in a journal focused on fluid dynamics and were derived from precise laboratory simulations designed to recreate ancient conditions on the Giza plateau where the Sphinx stands.
In their experiments, the scientists reproduced the environmental forces that would have acted on desert rock over millennia. By simulating windblown sands and occasional bursts of water that could have sculpted the stone, they explored how erosion could produce large, sphinx-like silhouettes from more weathered materials.
One interpretation offered by the researchers highlights that a sphinx-like head and body might emerge when softer, erodible layers are exposed and then worn away by rapid flows. In the controlled setup, a soft clay base embedded with harder inclusions served as a stand-in for the natural layering found in desert bedrock. As water moved across the surface, the softer portions wore away at a different rate than the tougher portions, gradually yielding a profile that resembles a mythical guardian with a lionlike neck, a cropped upper torso, a visible arch along the back, and a head that gradually assumed a recognizably human form as processes continued to act along the surface.
The team documented how ongoing reshaping from the simulated storm-like flows could create a sequence of features that resemble a sculpted statue, with the harder material forming the projecting head while the surrounding rock becomes the body and limbs. This sequence underscores how naturally occurring forces can produce recognizable, purposeful-looking silhouettes even without deliberate carving. The researchers note that such configurations, sometimes described as yardangs—wind-eroded ridges that take on animal-like shapes in desert settings—can appear to observers as intentional figures, though they arise from random erosive dynamics rather than design.
Through their work, the scientists present a straightforward account for the emergence of sphinxlike formations under erosional influence. They point to a variety of yardangs in arid regions that bear animal-like or humanoid impressions, shaped by the interplay of wind, sand, and episodic water action over long stretches of time. The results invite a reevaluation of how much of the Sphinx’s form could be attributed to natural sculpting processes, even in a setting historically linked to human craft and monumental construction.
While the study does not deny human involvement in the broader project of erecting the Great Sphinx, it emphasizes that aspects of its visage and silhouette could reflect long-term geological processes. In other words, some features may be the product of earthbound forces at work over millennia, gradually yielding a form that later generations could interpret through cultural lenses as a symbolic guardian. The dialogue between geology and archaeology highlighted by this research adds nuance to our understanding of how monumental shapes appear under natural conditions, inspiring ongoing inquiry into how climate, sediment transport, and rock mechanics interact with ancient landscapes.
Scholars and students are encouraged to view such findings as part of a broader effort to map the range of natural sculpting processes that can produce figures reminiscent of vigilant statues in desert settings. The study’s approach demonstrates how replicating environmental parameters in a laboratory can illuminate longstanding questions about ancient monuments, offering a complementary lens to traditional archaeological methods. The exploration of erosion-driven morphology invites careful consideration of how much of a famous landmark’s form may be explained by natural forces, while still recognizing the role of human ingenuity in the final presentation of these colossal works of heritage.