Which ancient Egyptian sculpture depicts the lion-bodied, human-headed guardian near the pyramids of Giza?

The ancient Egyptian sculpture depicting a lion-bodied, human-headed guardian near the pyramids of Giza is the Great Sphinx of Giza.

Carved from the natural limestone bedrock at Giza, the Sphinx has the body of a reclining lion and a human head wearing a royal nemes headdress. It faces east, toward the rising sun, and is generally associated with the pharaoh Khafre, whose pyramid stands nearby. The monument was probably created during Egypt’s Fourth Dynasty, around 2558–2532 BCE.

The Sphinx is not a separate, movable statue assembled from blocks; much of it was cut directly from the quarry rock, with some areas repaired using masonry. Its missing nose was not shot off by Napoleon’s soldiers, a popular but unsupported story. Drawings made before Napoleon’s campaign already show the nose absent.

The monument’s original name is unknown. The Greek term “Sphinx” was applied later, after the mythical creature known in Greek tradition.