Mind-Benders of Ancient Egyptian History
He dug the Sphinx out of the sand — 1,100 years after it was carved
The Great Sphinx was carved beside Khafre's pyramid at Giza around 2500 BCE. About eleven centuries later, around 1400 BCE, the young Thutmose IV had it cleared from the sand that had buried it to the neck, and set up a stele between its paws recording that in a dream the sun-god had promised him the throne if he freed the monument.
How we know
Great Sphinx conventionally attributed to Khafre (reign c. 2558–2532 BCE), carved c. 2500 BCE; Thutmose IV (reign c. 1400–1390 BCE) cleared it and erected the Dream Stele c. 1400 BCE. Gap: 2500 − 1400 = 1,100 years (~11 centuries).
One of many fact-checked wonders across eight traditions at The Spring of Wisdom.