# The head was recut in the Middle Kingdom from an earlier head.

> Disputed: The head was recut in the Middle Kingdom from an earlier head.

Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/great-sphinx/answers/ANS0CTWSX3A31FT/the-head-was-recut-in-the-middle-kingdom-from-an-earlier  
Publisher: Mysteries Department  
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page)  

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[Questions](https://mysteriesdept.com/questions)[Great Sphinx of Giza](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/great-sphinx)[Was the head recarved from an earlier head?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/great-sphinx/questions/QST0CTWSDQ421NG/was-the-head-recarved-from-an-earlier-head)Answer

Answer · Great Sphinx of Giza

# The head was recut in the Middle Kingdom from an earlier head.

The head was recut in the Middle Kingdom from an earlier head.

**Disputed** Answers **1** questionPublished0

## Where it stands

**Disputed** One piece of evidence for, none against. It needs two reviews to be accepted.

## What it predicts

- The face shows Middle Kingdom portrait style.

## What would rule it out

- The face's surviving features dated securely to the Fourth Dynasty by comparison with dated sculpture.

## Evidence 1 for · none against

[Temple identifies the face as Amenemhat II's on stylistic grounds.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/great-sphinx/evidence/EVD0CTWSXB426CE/temple-identifies-the-face-as-amenemhat-iis-on-stylistic)

Speculative

FOR

## The questions it answers

[Was the head recarved from an earlier head?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/great-sphinx/questions/QST0CTWSDQ421NG/was-the-head-recarved-from-an-earlier-head)

Part of [What did the Sphinx originally represent?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/great-sphinx/questions/QST0CTWSDFA7K8D/what-did-the-sphinx-originally-represent)

Most likelyThe head is as first carved; its size reflects the block of Member III rock available and a deliberate layout

## Cite it

```
Mysteries Department. (2026). The head was recut in the Middle Kingdom from an earlier head. [Answer ANS0CTWSX3A31FT]. https://mysteriesdept.com/r/ANS0CTWSX3A31FT
```

Key

**ANS** 0CTWSX3A31FT

Kind

Answer · hypothesis

Origin

Published

Version

1

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