Category:Sphinx

The sphinx (Greek: σφίγξ, from σφίγγειν sphíngein "to strangle") is a hybrid being with a human head and a mostly winged animal body that can show itself to the clairvoyant gaze. Ideally, one can see the four-beast (also called four-form or tetramorph), which unites all four sphinx animals, i.e. man, eagle, lion and bull. Occasionally, one even sees a dragon or reptile tail, which points back to a very early stage of human evolution. In Egypt, however, sphinx figures with ram, hawk and sparrowhawk heads were also common.