Originally Posted By: zmjezhd
The Sphinx's face, which in ancient times was painted dark red, was also decorated with a stone beard and displayed a sculpted cobra on its forehead, both of which have also fallen off. This may explain why for much of the Sphinx's later history, its face was interpreted as a woman's (link).

Doesn't mean it wasn't a woman's face just because it had a beard. I seem to remember reading somewhere that even women rulers were depicted sometimes with the ceremonial plaited goatee thing - it was kind of like a badge of office.

Last edited by The Pook; 05/03/2008 1:37 AM.