Sunday, April 1, 2012

Androsphinx

Androsphinx is the most common of the three Sphinxes.  The Androsphinx  has the body of a lion and a human head.  While it is most commonly a Male, there are female Sphinxes. The  most famous representation of the Androsphinx lies in the shadows of the Great Pyramid and has the head of a man wearing a Pharaonic headdress.  This particular sphinx is said to have a female lion body.  However I have not truly confirmed this fact.

The other two Sphinxes are the Criosphinx which has the head of a horned ram (and of course the body of a lion), and the Hieracosphinx which has the head of a falcon and the body of a lion OR Griffin.



97 comments:

  1. Thanks for the insight into Sphinxes...very interesting.

    Cheers, Jenny @ Pearson Report
    Co-Host of the Blogging from A to Z Challenge.

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  2. Very cool! I had no idea there were different sphinxes. Thanks for sharing this. I can't wait to come back to see what else you have for the rest of the challenge.

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    1. Thank you. I had been researching mythical creatures for a while for my novels and I thought it would be a very fun theme for the challenge. There is so much I never knew and now that I know it I want to share it!

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  3. Hi Konstanz,
    Interesting idea. I HAVE seen the spink in Egypt, but I can't say I noticed a female form.

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    1. oooh I am soo jealous. I would LOVE to go to Egypt and see the sphinx in person. I guess the female fact isn't really confirmed. Just most places I found information at believed it to be.

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  4. I like your A

    here is my A too :)
    http://pa-ul.blogspot.com/search/label/GAC%20A-Z%20Artists

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  5. Interesting I too never realized that there was more than one type of sphinx. Mythology is a fascinating subject. Good start to the challenge!

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    1. Once I started doing research for one of my novels, I just couldn't stop. I have book after book on mythical creatures.

      Thank you! And thanks for stopping by!

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  6. Interesting stuff, I've never put to much thought into a sphinx.

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    1. Neither had I until I decided to use a Sphinx in one of my novels. Now that I know this much, I can't stop researching! It has been so much fun.

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  7. Some solid information... I was not aware the different types.

    Jeremy [Retro-Zombie]
    A to Z Co-Host
    IZOMBIE: Visit the Madness

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    1. It's amazing what I have found on so many different creatures. And if these facts about the sphinx come as a surprise, I can't wait to see what people think about the other creatures I will be talking about this month!

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  8. Great post! Love things that deal with Egypt, particularly around the time of the Exodus. I learned something today, thanks!

    Gregg Metcalf

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    1. Thank you! My sister is into everything Egyptian so it was fun getting to teach her something. :)

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  9. very interesting...never knew of there to be a female version of the sphinx. Good beginning!

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    1. The funny thing is, I had never thought as the Sphinx as a male. Thank you!

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  10. I love, love mythological creatures, and this is some fascinating information! Very nice to meet a fellow writer!

    Alyssia Kirkhart

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    1. Me as well! It's the reason I decided to use it as my A to Z theme. Thank you! Wonderful to meet you and thanks for dropping by!

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  11. LOVE your A! I had no idea that there were different types of sphinxes. I look forward to reading your posts all month! (Old follower at Writeaway, new follower here.)

    A to Z at Bibliophilia, Please

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    1. Thank you for stopping by! And thank you! It took FOREVER to decide which creature to do for each letter. Surprisingly, A was the hardest of them all!

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  12. That was a fascinating trip to the sphinxes of Egypt. I hadn't realised they came in different sub-species ;)

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    1. Yeah, I have come across so many fun facts. I could practically write a book about each of the creatures I will be posting about this month. It's to bad I have to keep my posts short. :)

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  13. I love mythology and had no idea about the sphinx with the ram head. Fascinating!

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    1. Indeed. I think my personal favorite of the three is the Hieracosphinx.

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  14. I quite enjoy Egyptology. Fun read!

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  15. I quite enjoy Egyptology and fun facts about Egypt. Fun read!

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  16. Replies
    1. Glad I could share my knowledge and enlighten others.

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  17. Interesting! I'm glad to learn something new.

    Thanks for visiting my blog.

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    1. Glad I could teach you something. :) And you're welcome. Thanks for stopping by!

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  18. Wow! Great word. I'll be back tomorrow to see what word you come up with for B. :)

    Michelle :)
    www.michelle-pickett.com/blog

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  19. Didn't know there were kinds of sphinxes! Great to know since i love writing fantasy. wonderful to meet you in this A-Z
    Nutschell
    www.thewritingnut.com

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    1. Thank you. Glad I could help enlighten people on the matter. :) Thanks for stopping by, wonderful to meet you!

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  20. Wow, I didn't know that. Seriously cool.

    http://weavingataleortwo.blogspot.com/

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  21. I think I will keep a list of all the things I learn from the A-Z challenge. Great start!

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    1. :) That's a good idea. I can't believe how much I learned today just from visiting other blogs.

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  22. I love learning new things during the A to Z Challenge.

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    1. Agreed! This is my first time (super scary seems how I am co-hosting) and I have learned so much and it's only day one!

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  23. Huh..really. I had no idea that there were different of sphinxes. I was able to learn something already and it is only the A section..:)

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    1. I know! By the end of the month my brain is going to spaz with overload of information!

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  24. Thank you for the mythology lesson! I'm with the majority of your readers, and have not given much thought to the sphinx and that it could have either a male or female body. Great start to the Challenge. Looking forward to reading your posts. Happy Sunday! ☺

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    1. You're welcome. Thanks for stopping by! And thanks for the encouragement. I hope I don't disappoint with the rest of the Alphabet.

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  25. Good to know. I'd like to see more stories with the less popular two. Maybe I'll write one.

    now following,
    mood

    Moody Writing

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    1. I do believe I will be using the Hieracosphinx in my novel which is what this research was done for in the first place.

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  26. Interesting concept, male and female sphinx. I had never really thought about it before.

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    1. Neither had I until I decided to write a sphinx into one of my stories. SOOO glad that I did the research though.

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  27. Welcome to the challenge. There's a good scene with this Androsphinx you speak of in a movie called "The Adventures of Mark Twain" from 1986.

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    1. I do believe I will have to look into it. Thank you!

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  28. Thanks for teaching me something I didn't know before. Very cool!

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  29. I did not know that there was different types of sphinxes. That's pretty cool

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    1. Agreed. Just glad I did the research before I wrote the book.

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  30. Interesting post. I had no idea there were more than one kind of sphinx. Good start for A to Z :) New follower also looking forward to more posts :)

    http://gladiatorspen.blgospot.com

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    1. Thank you. I would have never guessed but research never faileth. Thank you!

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  31. Ego ("and me" in Greek) - I've learnt something new today...thanks.
    Good luck with the Challenge from fellow blogger at:
    www.leavingcairo.blogspot.com

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  32. Love this! This is the second Egyptian related one I've read this morning.

    I have to admit I'd always wanted to visit Egypt, but I recently saw how far Cairo had expanded and it's literally right up to the Sphinx and a Pyramid. I find that a bit disconcerting.

    Anyhu - thank you for sharing this :D

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    1. Thank you! I think I read three different posts today that related to Egypt. And I would LOVE to visit Egypt and get to see this Androsphinx in person.

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  33. Wow, interesting! I learned something and increased my vocab! Can't wait to see what you post in the future.

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    1. Thank you. Glad I could teach you something! I hope the rest of my alphabet posts don't disappoint.

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  34. Great start to the challenge. Interesting information.

    Lisa
    http://livethemoment09.blogspot.com

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  35. I had no idea there was more than one sphinx. Thanks for the info. =D

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    1. Thanks for stopping by! (I love your book and I follow your blog so it pretty much made my day to see you stop by and comment on one of my posts)

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  36. Kind of hard to tell the gender of a lion with the mane missing and the netherparts buried in sand. (At least for me.)

    Like others here, did not know sphinxes came in different flavors.

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    1. Well, I can only take away from what research shows me. I didn't go to Egypt and look at the Sphinx myself. (Though I wish I could have). Thanks for stopping by!

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  37. Three? Really? I have known about the first one forever. In fact, I think it was in my Dick and Jane reader.

    My cat sits like a Sphinx. Also, he thinks he is all that and a bag of Mrs. Field's chocolate chip cookies.

    I am going to Google the other sphinxes. Thanks.

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    1. That's hilarious (about the cat). Thanks for stopping by!

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    1. Thank you and you're welcome and thank you for stopping by!

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  39. YAY FOR SPHINX's!!! I love them because Egyptology and Mythology are my thing and that stuff is awesome. I really loved your post and can't wait for tomorrows :)

    Cheers!

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    1. Yay indeed! I love, love, love Mythology. In fact I want to major in it in College. Thank you! I hope tomorrows post doesn't disappoint.

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  40. You know, I think they should make sphinx stuffed animals. I could go for an Androsphinx. (It would scare the fur off the cat, but so?)

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  41. Great, succinct post. I'm fascinated by mythical creatures, especially those that fly. Do you think that last one with head of a falcon and then the body of a griffin, could fly? I'd like to go for a ride. My favorite kids' movie of the moment is "How to train your dragon". I want a dragon. Or whatever those beasts were from Cameron's Avatar where they connected their tails and communicated, joined? Anyway, I'm a bit slap happy from all the fun today...and scads of blogs to read before I sleep, and scads of blogs to read before I sleep. My sincere apologies to Robert Frost.
    Tina @ Life is Good
    Co-Host of the April A to Z Challenge
    Twitter: @AprilA2Z #atozchallenge

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    1. I do not know if the Hieracosphinx can fly but as of a griffin can and it has the body of a griffin, and the head of a falcon (which can also fly) I am assuming that it would be able to fly.

      I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE 'How to train your dragon'. I own every 'HTTYD' thing possible practically!

      I have not seen Avatar.
      Thanks for stopping by, Tina!

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  42. Mythical beasts FTW. I'm covering 26 of the most wanted on one of my A-Z challenge blogs - www.mostwantedmonsters.blogspot.com.
    Will be back :-)

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    1. Indeed! I will be stopping by your blog for sure. And thank you!

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  43. Interesting! I always picture sphinxes as female. I didn't know they are more commonly male.

    Looking forward to your posts! Happy A to Z, Konstanz!

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    1. See that's what I always saw. A female. I believe my Hieracosphinx for my novel will be female. I like changing things up.

      Thank you!

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  44. I was unaware they were called different things. Interesting! Thanks for sharing. Great start to the Challenge.

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    1. Thank you, thank you! I love learning new things and sharing the information!

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  45. Very interesting stuff here. What a great way to introduce people to new topics! Looking forward to more interesting stuff in April!

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  46. I didn't realize there was more than one kind of sphinx. Very cool post.

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  47. I didn't know there were types of Sphinxes! Great going Konstanz---happy to be co-hosting this challenge with you :)

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    1. Awww, thank you! I'm so happy to be a part of the team that threw this together this year!

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  48. Wow, definitely unique and NOT at all expected!! :)

    Carrie @ Reclaiming My Health

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