Sphinx dug up in Egypt

EGYPTIAN archaeologists have discovered a statue of a lion’s body and a human head in the southern city of Aswan.

The sphinx, made of sandstone, was found in the Temple of Kom Ombo during work to protect the site from groundwater. The statue probably dates back to the Ptolemaic Dynasty, which ruled Egypt for about 300 years, from around 320BC to about 30BC.

Egypt hopes such discoveries will spur tourism, partially driven by antiquities sightseeing, which was hit hard by political turmoil following the 2011 uprising.