The Sphinx sits beneath the Pyramid of Chephren just as he has done for thousands of years years. It is the only statue in the entire Giza area, in contrast to the great temple complexes of Luxor. The strangely enigmatic smile of the sphinx captivates modern tourists as much as it did the Arabs who dubbed it “Abul Hul,” the father of terror. The identity of the sphinx’s face and its purpose are hotly debated; some claim it represents Chephren, whose pyrimid is directly behind it. An old legend claims that when the future pharaoh was lounging in the desert he dreamed that the he would become pharaoh if he had the giant rock carved into the shape of a sphinx. Regardless of its purpose, the statue continues to enthrall all who see it. Less fascinating is the horde of touts and souvenir hawkers that wander around the pyramids, offering horse and camel rides and cheap trinkets. A stern “la shukran” (no thanks) will keep them at bay; if you do want to ride a camel twenty Egyptian pounds is the average price for an hour long guided ride.

Less visited but no less remarkable than those at Giza are the pyramids of Dashur and Saqqara. The pharaohs before Chephren experimented with pyramid construction at these sights, creating a variety of different styles before settling on form seen at Giza. Along with a small “normal” pyramid, Dashur has a unique “bent” pyramid. Its builders apparently tried to create a steeper incline that in seen in the other pyramids, but realized it would be unstable and switched to a more gradual ascent midway up. Unlike the pyramids at Giza, the Bent Pyramid still has its original casing, hinting at what all pyramids once looked like. Saqqara boasts the world’s first pyramid, the step pyramid of Imhotep, the world’s first identifiable architect. Egyptian tombs were originally just one story, but Imhotep decided to stack several tombs of decreasing size on top of each other, creating a pyramid ? an achievement fro which Imhotep was deified. Another highlight of Saqqara are the many Old Kingdom tombs built by nobles who wanted to associate themselves with their ruler even in death. Ancient Egyptians believed that items placed inside or painted on the walls of their tombs would be available in the afterlife, so tombs contain a rich depiction of daily life. They are decorated with scenes of feasting and revelry, tending cattle and farming, and hunting in the marshes of the delta. Visiting these tombs provides a remarkable glimpse at daily life in the Old Kingdom.