Saving the Sphinx

In 1926, one of Egypt's greatest attractions was unearthed from a sand bed after lying dormant for almost 2,000 years (roughly half its life). That's a long time to lie on your stomach. The Sphinx is half man and half lion and draws 4 million people a year to marvel at its crumbling limestone features. But like so many other wonders of the ancient world, it has been "loved to death" by the encroachment of human beings. Amongst the myriad of threats making the Sphinx want to put its head back in the sand are pollution from nearby Cairo, wind erosion, tourist traffic, acid rain and a completely botched restoration attempt in the 1980s. Ironically, even Tutankhamen wanted to restore the Sphinx which was already about 1,000 years old during his time; the Greeks and Romans tried to preserve it; and everyone seems to have an idea of how it should be revived. As this absorbing documentary reveals, the Sphinx is a work of art as well as an engineering feat, and restoring it should be the labor of sculptors and artists, as well as technicians. By using ancient combinations of water, lime and sand rather than highly salty cement, and calling on the expertise of stonemasons to craft blocks copied from styrofoam templates, the Sphinx is being given a new lease on life. In addition, the Pharoanic Institute is educating students in ancient Egyptian styles, thereby guaranteeing the responsible preservation of the monuments into the distant future. Highly recommended. Aud: J, H, C, P. (R. Ray)