Greek Sphinx Statue

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. 540-530 B.C.

Are you trying to solve a decorating riddle in your home or office? This ancient Greek sphinx statue is a reflection of the wealth and opulence of Ancient Greek history around 500 B.C. It was discovered at the Attica grave monument of the Middle Archaic Period.

The Sphinx statue sat atop a tall column decorated with high relief sculpture and crowned by a Cavetto capital. It stood over 13 feet tall. The ancient Greek version of the Sphinx has a woman's head, a lion's body, the tail of a serpent and the wings of an Eagle. The Greek Sphinx was sent by Hera to punish Thebes who had displeased the goddess.

Perched atop Mount Phicium, the Sphinx would ask those entering the city of Thebes a riddle.

"What being, with only one voice, has sometimes two feet, sometimes three, sometimes four and is weakest when it has the most?"

Those who failed to answer correctly were slain. It was Oedipus who solved the riddle when he explained : "Man, because he crawls on all four as an infant, stands firmly on his two feet in his youth and leans on a staff in his old age."

The Sphinx was enraged and cast herself off the mountain to her death in disbelief. Oedipus was then proclaimed King.