Science & Nature · 3
What type of erosion did geologist Robert Schoch controversially argue in the 1990s that the Great Sphinx enclosure walls show — implying the monument predates accepted dates by thousands of years?
Answer
Rainfall and water erosion
Geologist Robert Schoch argued in 1992 that the deep vertical erosion channels on the Sphinx enclosure walls were caused by prolonged heavy rainfall rather than wind and sand — the dominant weathering force in the Sahara for the past 5,000 years. If correct, this would date the Sphinx to a wetter period, at least 7,000–9,000 BCE. Most Egyptologists dispute this interpretation.
💡 Did you know?
The Great Sphinx's nose was not knocked off by Napoleon's cannons — drawings from the 15th century show it was already missing, nearly 400 years before Napoleon ever visited Egypt.
Other options people guess
- Wind and sand abrasion
- Salt weathering from groundwater
- Seismic damage from ancient earthquakes
Topics
- egypt
- archaeology
- mysteries
- ancient-history
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