The Sphinx is in fact the representation of Chephren, illustrated like a lion with human head, charged to taking care on its capped necropolis with a nemes with the uraeus of the forehead, it is cut in the rock, living eternally and forever the face turned towards the East. Firing practices with the cannon carried out at the Mameluke time, combined with the effect of wind erosion would be at the origin of the destruction of the nose of the Sphinx.