Which ancient Egyptian monument is the colossal limestone statue with a lion’s body and a human head at Giza?

The colossal limestone statue at Giza with a lion’s body and a human head is the Great Sphinx of Giza.

The monument was carved from the natural limestone bedrock on the Giza Plateau, probably during the reign of the Fourth Dynasty pharaoh Khafre, around 2558–2532 BCE. It faces east toward the rising sun and is among the largest and oldest monolithic statues in the world.

The Great Sphinx measures about 73.5 metres long and reaches roughly 20 metres in height. Its human head wears the royal nemes headdress, supporting the traditional identification with Khafre, although the precise attribution remains debated.

The statue was buried by desert sand for long periods and underwent repeated restoration. Its missing nose is often blamed on Napoleon’s soldiers, but drawings made before Napoleon’s Egyptian campaign already show the damaged face.