The Secrets of the Sphinx

[@almitrahopkins1873]

If a librarian doesn’t look like a vampire, there’s something slightly wrong. There’s something reassuring about them looking like they never see the sun. Books fade in sunlight…

[@chanellechan7770]

I love the way she tries to explain " It's just..." (gives up trying to explain) "I live in Scotland" 😄

[@yensid4294]

Griffins (Gryphons) could be an interesting subject for a video. Same for The Phoenix.

[@lesliemoiseauthor]

Lean into your paleness! And simultaneously into your individuality. I love it. Thank you for including the origin stories for the Sphinx.

[@CinziaDuBois]

Thanks for listening, Leslie!

[@lesliemoiseauthor]

@@CinziaDuBois Always.

[@jeffbrownstain]

Yeah she's super cute so 🤷‍♀️

[@nataliegreen5489]

Every time you mention being in Scotland I do a happy dance that we have such cool people here 🎉❤️

[@tetsubo57]

You aren't pale, you're luminous!

[@coyotedelamancha]

Historically, the Sphinx lost its nose due to an accident during the rule of Julius Caesar involving the famed Gaulish heroes Asterix and Obelix. Sorry, I thought everyone knew that. 😉 Wonderful video as always. Thank you for this. 🙂

[@otsugan]

we all know that was cerberus making all that noise

[@lesliemoiseauthor]

🤣

[@baronarcanus9111]

Wings & tail: Two things of which I am always needing more.

[@jacobkamphaus5565]

I mean, if youre a vampire, im a fan of am immortal sharing her knowledge! The new lights work well. Amazing video! Thank you!

[@Habs2802]

It's a well known historic fact that Obelix knocked the nose of the Sphinx by accident.

[@gorillaguerillaDK]

He’s basically a chronic coked out roid-fiend - but it really isn’t his fault!

[@mrlinguini]

the second most beautiful nose in history

[@MammaApa]

@@gorillaguerillaDK I still find it hilarious that the druid's name in the english translation actually is Getafix.

[@gorillaguerillaDK]

@@MammaApa Exactly, and if that doesn't say it all, what does it take to convince people that the comic is advocating for drugs and doping?

[@scottdoesntmatter4409]

I had read that the Sphinx's nose was broken off by Muslims because they once again decided it was worship of icons, as they have done with so many other ancient artifacts.

[@sophiaisabelle027]

We appreciate your effort and hard work. We look forward to more of your spooky content.

[@CinziaDuBois]

Much appreciated!

[@russian.hamster5]

The puppies must always be allowed to play! 🥺 Hope they have fun!

[@felixcorona13]

Have u ever considered doing audio books ? I absolutely ADORE your accent 🤣

[@tibbers]

More about Ancient Egypt and esotericism please!

[@jaymeaaron]

I think I like the pronunciation "she spanked her" 🤣 Love the video ❤️

[@andreabran9216]

I think the riddle of the sphinx is a little different in german. I know it as "Which creature is four footed in the morning, two footed at noon and three footed in the evening?" The answer is the same. I love the legend of Oedipus and the story of his children, so it is so interesting to learn a new version :)

[@markwynne725]

Thats the version I learned in English. I suppose there are several variants

[@manuelanoe246]

That is the same version i know in spanish :)

[@lizabee484]

That intro with the weird tinder date absolutely KILLED me. I’ve not had the pleasure of that exact interaction, but I definitely have had equally… fascinating encounters. Seems we would have a whale of a time sharing tinder stories lol Fascinating video btw ^^;

[@TheAnonJohn]

In 2014 in northern Greece , it was discovered the ancient tomb of Amphipolis, which is protected by two female sphinxes. Search Amphipolis tomb 3D on youtube for a nice recreation video. Anyway, thought it was worth mentioning

[@russergee49]

That is really interesting, as it makes it possible that the sphinx was regarded as a protective figure in parts of the Hellenic world.

[@matthewmartin135]

I think shesepankh is probably pronounced like she-sep-ank. My approach to pronouncing Egyptian words is to work from any hieroglyphs I recognize, and "ankh" is a common one, you might recognize it in the middle of Tutankhamun. I assume shesep is also a hieroglyph or pair of hieroglyphs though I don't know all the transliterations. That said, the "correct" pronunciation is how modern egyptologists pronounce it, and those pronunciations were devised after hieroglyphs were decrypted but before linguists were able to more accurately work out all the sounds, so these names aren't necessarily how ancient Egyptians pronounced them.

[@SomasAcademy]

Allow me to add some more details: In Egyptological pronunciation (as well as reconstructed pronunciation), the kh is pronounced as a throaty sound, indicated by either an h with a little curve under it or an x, depending on the transliteration system. Shesep (or Shezep), which just means statue, is spelled with several hieroglyphs; first is number O42 on Gardiner's sign list, the fence hieroglyph, which is also read as "šsp," then Q3, which is just pronounced as "p" and serves as a phonetic compliment (basically a pronunciation aid), and finally a seated god determinative or a Horus determinative (there are lots of Egyptian words pronounced "šsp," so the determinitive is important for showing which word you mean). So, if you can see these characters, it looks kinda like this: 𓊏𓊪𓀭 or this: 𓊏𓊪𓅆 The main reason why Egyptological pronunciation isn't quite accurate is because Hieroglyphs were only used to transcribe consonants, not vowels, so Egyptologists typically fill in the vowel "E" in between consonants to make it easier to say the words. Because of this, the vowels we use and their positions are fairly arbitrary. Additionally, spoken Egyptian evolved over time, but written Egyptian didn't at the same rate, so some of the spellings were way off from how the words were pronounced; for example, "t" sounds started being dropped off the ends of words by the Middle Egyptian stage, so a lot of words that are spelled with t's actually ended in vowel sounds or glottal stops.

[@lynseybowe8693]

I had never heard of the sphinx being part of other religions and cultures throughout Asia. It’s so fascinating how these cultures all share commonalities.

[@lilykatmoon4508]

Never apologize for the sounds of happy dogs playing!

[@Zugzug386]

Thank you for Cinzia, very much appreciate your level of research and story telling ability. Those qualities mixed with your humor continues to be a winning combo for me.

[@CinziaDuBois]

My pleasure!

[@khartog01]

I'm so glad you pointed out Oedipus should have just not killed anyone.

[@Spacecookie-]

Your lighting seems to be more bluish than is necessary, turning your complexion a cooler shade, adding to the 'vampire' aesthetic. Warm coloured lighting would really offset that.

[@AlatheD]

Perhaps you should rename your channel "Vampire of the Library" I'd still be here. I mean, if I can use the library for the price of a nibble, all I ask is leave enough that I don't pass out while cuddling with the book for a few hours. LOL I absolutely love the Sphinx! Oh, smooth ad read transition, Chinzia. :) Sphinxalicious! Thank you so much, Chizia!

[@YusufGinnah]

It's probably been around 10 days since discovering, subscribing and binging the content on your channel. I absolutely love it all! Just what I needed. This is clearly the best ever served up in my recommended in like... Forever... Thank you Cinzia, you're an absolute treasure. I appreciate you. 😎👍🏼

[@jenbravo2790]

I love your videos so much, Cinzia. Excellent research/content, great jokes sprinkled throughout, and amazing vampire lighting. 💛

[@CinziaDuBois]

Thank you so much, Jen!

[@tomdotcom0520]

Can I sample your intro and put it into my electronic music? The "Hello! And, welcome to my Library" part.

[@chaptermasterBurnedHand]

Your segue into the advertisement for the sponsor was pretty awesome ETA:A short about the mother of monsters would be great. I'd never heard of her until this video, so thanks!

[@Elvertaw]

Love your channel!! And you rock the Morticia vibe!!! BTW- I’m from California and have visited Scotland. Love Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Thinking about moving there!!

[@Saezimmerman]

“You’d think he’d be a little more careful about killing people…” You said what I was thinking!

[@saralaerevu8735]

4:16 having dogs myself I'm so used to filter the noises of thier paws that I didn't even noticed that xD

[@jrichardson7814]

Sphinxes were still guardians in Ancient Greece- you can find them on the capitals of archaic grave stelai warding off bad spirits. The same role was performed by gorgons on temple pediments.

[@leoorpi]

I didn't even know i had a wee little sphinx void until i watched this video

[@morgangallowglass8668]

Brilliant and gorgeous in any lighting. YAY PUPS!

[@hj7947]

Infrastructure engineer here-I would *love* to learn about the history of roads/communal structures. (I also want to work on limestone preservation but here in the US there isn’t much opportunity.) Excellent work and I love the light setup.

[@sabrinadavis8355]

New subscriber here and you're inspiring me to maybe finally look into pursuing my dream of a doctorates in history/philosophy that I tabled for a while... it's so refreshing to see a female KZbinr like you who discusses mythology, culture and the arcane from a historical perspective. The lectures and videos I'm subscribed to are generally male so having found your channel is a blessing. Thank you for your inspo and hard work.

[@yakuzzi35]

I love this lady. Personally, I'd like to learn more about Lamia, if you haven't made a video on her already.

[@grimdolo918]

You are a delight. Looking forward to following your content.

[@brandistraveladventures2891]

I got to see the sphinx when I was in Egypt. He is amazing

[@winterburden]

Thanks for this neat Sphinx video Cinzia! The lighting is fantastic 🙆‍♀️

[@CinziaDuBois]

Glad you like it!

[@jimbrittain402]

I love your scholarship and your voice. The headshot is just an extra added attraction. But I check your videos even with the cartoon avatar.

[@Khatoon170]

Actually I visited Egypt with my parents when I was teenager . We visited pyramids, Sphinx as I read just right now . Sphinx is oldest and largest statue in world in Egypt . Sphinx is mythical creature created by pharaoh to guard pyramids. The method of building of pyramids and Sphinx is mystery till nowadays.sphinx in Greek mythology is unique demon of destruction and bad luck . Sphinx located at Egypt is largest , oldest statue in world . Sphinx represents form of powerful su god , incarnation of royal power and protector of temple doors . Thank you for your wonderful cultural channel ihope for your channel more success and progress.

[@chloej.5576]

My favorite time of week is when you post your videos!! Thank you for all the work you put into these videos! 🖤

[@CinziaDuBois]

You are so welcome!

[@kylemorris9070]

As always, I enjoyed it looking forward to the next one.🧐👍

[@stephaniearmington8176]

I always look forward to your videos, thank you so much for the amazing content 😄

[@CinziaDuBois]

So nice of you, Stephanie! Thank you

[@robo5013]

Another, and most accepted story, of how the Sphynx lost its nose: The Egyptian Arab historian al-Maqrīzī wrote in the 15th century that the nose was actually destroyed by a Sufi Muslim named Muhammad Sa'im al-Dahr. In 1378 CE, Egyptian peasants made offerings to the Great Sphinx in the hope of controlling the flood cycle, which would result in a successful harvest. Outraged by this blatant show of devotion, Sa'im al-Dahr destroyed the nose and was later executed for vandalism. Archaeologist Mark Lehner performed an archaeological study on the Sphinx and concluded that its nose was intentionally broken with instruments. Upon examination, the Sphinx's face shows that rods or chisels were hammered into the nose area which were then used to pry it off.

[@XandruReguera]

"I live in Scotland". All said :)

[@dullahan7373]

Your videos make my day so much more enjoyable and better ❤ So happy I found your channel! 😊

[@tenebrousoul9368]

Despite being a rather important part of the Egyptian pantheon, Thoth figures into very few myths. How would one go about researching those myths?

[@tetsubo57]

There are some great chimera figures available. Why yes, I do own them...

[@holyfreak8]

Edipus and the sphynx is one of my favoutire greek myth since I was a child. One day i will travel to see those marvelous monuments drom Egypt. Great video Lady!

[@usagi5121]

in love with your videos, funny but I go to work and sometimes a project i do (as a housekeeper/cleaner) is scrub the white tiled halls of the floor, and everytime i do it i watch your videos! u keep me entertained 💜 i was thinking maybe you could cover the mythologies of Nymphs and what other ancient civilizations had their own versions of them, as i know celtics did..? the energy/spirits inhabiting trees waterways etc. I adore history and yet struggle myself to find places of reference or even a cohesive video on them, especially not how they seem to be victims of sa very prevalently in their myths, which i feel may have something to do with how humans protaay woman who are confident in sexuality. Just a thought, and once again I LOVE UR VIDEOS SM

[@khristopherkhrist1385]

I've always been confused as to why the sphinx appears first in Egypt but has a Greek etymology and now I know why!

[@millymollymrst3537]

Loved this video, thank you. Little shorts would be great.😊

[@ClaudiaDCD]

Perfect timing! I love learning the first and historical stories of creatures to add to my enjoyment when pop culture uses the creature. Critical Role's season 2 just released a story with sphinx's!

[@lloyd4956]

Great videos as always. I enjoyed hearing about the sphinx.

[@janetgriffith6694]

Thank you so much. Looking forward to future videos 😊

[@CAP198462]

Edgar Cayce (Case- ē) also known as “The Sleeping prophet” and the Sphinx have a history. He is alleged to have seen a vault under one of the Sphinx’s paws. This vault he said, contained the last archive of some ancient civilisation.

[@wrestlersmith97]

Old school limestone preservation was just capping it in marble and I'm not strictly opposed

[@Horus070]

I love Demeter ‘s story but also Persephone ‘s . Oddly when I was a kid Hades was my favorite Greek god … i know odd

[@TheSilveryew]

Congratulations on your sponsorship! Another super video as always ^_^

[@disky01]

I've never seen the origins of the creature in other cultures discussed before and it was super interesting! Thank you, and also the lights look great!

[@Thomas.Wright]

Oedipus should have asked the Sphinx, "What have I got in my pocket?"

[@violetsidhe]

Thank you for another great video. What about the manticore? I think I spelt that right

[@silkworm._jpeg]

your videos help with my anxiety.

[@jeffbrownstain]

Preposting a comment to say thank you for using my request on instagram about egypt (assuming you worked that dang fast!). Can't watch now but I'm sure I'll have more comments later when I do 😁

[@fearlesssfcappuccino]

That beginning!! XD so great!! XD (and the light setup actually works well!!) Love all your content. Thank you for sharing with us!!

[@CinziaDuBois]

Get exclusive access to NordPass’ best offer here: www.nordpass.com/ladyofthelibrary Or, use the code ladyofthelibrary at the checkout to get an additional 1 month for FREE!

[@herbertscott9575]

The lighting is cool! Great content as always, love mythology tales.

[@Gojirosan]

You are a gift to us all. Thank you so much.

[@Syntox]

This channel is such a delight

[@craigmusa2254]

Love the video definitely need atlantis part 3 where we talk about Nazis and ancient alien hypotheses because I need it to have actual evidence that these beliefs are racist

[@joluoto]

Hmm, sphinxes, yes, I have met those kind of people. Only speaking in riddles. My experience have taught me the best way to deal with them is to ignore them. They are only trying to mess with your mind.

[@SomasAcademy]

Note that South Asian Sphinxes were most likely derived from Greek Sphinxes, introduced into the Hellenistic kingdoms of Northern India after the time of Alexander the Great, rather than being introduced from Egypt directly or being a coincidental common idea.

[@lindseyshupee]

In the spirit I have been told that I used to worship Ra in a different life. Sometimes if I am about to accidentally burn myself; instead I make an R sound with my tongue and then I am not burnt. I used to have an intense fear of the sphinx. I dreamt of something similar to these depictions except the two women I saw had the upper body of women. Their hair was long and a blonde that is almost red but not that red that covered their chests. They weren't wearing clothes. They had human abdomens, breasts and arms. Their long hair covered up if they had nipples or not. Their lower halves were like lionesses and they were standing at a door. In the dream I wasn't afraid and spoke to them but woke up. They were incredibly beautiful.

[@mathieuleader8601]

Shinx is one of my favourite pokemon

[@shanedjoy8954]

What's the chance that the Sphinx was originally Anubis(facing westward, death/underworld), then a human face carved later..?

[@starsINSPACE]

hmm I would think the sphinx would more related to lion gods or goddesses like Sekhmet. There are so many cool looking leonine tomb guardians in other cultures too like Lamassu or foo dogs.

[@dogmaticpyrrhonist543]

I wonder if the strange person from Tinder was Charles, (now King Charles)

[@DD-nu8jt]

I love your videos! I am as pale as you are and I live in Southern California. I’ve taken to saying “I hope you are doing splendidly,” but it doesn’t sound nearly as good with an American accent.

[@silmarian]

Oedipus Tex, the very best interpretation of this ever (or at least funniest) includes the Sphinx. Kinda. It's PDQ Bach, it's really weird.

[@rishisingh5999]

Hi, I am new here and my God you are amazing, I can listen to you the whole day.

[@thebigd9989]

You look wonderful with your new set up, another great video ♡♡♡

[@CinziaDuBois]

Thank you so much!

[@ShannenChan]

I would love to hear more about the chimera

[@scbtripwire]

About that man you dated with the... mug... situation; whoa. 0.o Oof that segue to the ad read. ;) Love your videos!

[@danalden1112]

“Not one croak of anything you know has come from your cat crouch of ages.”

[@Katherine_The_Okay]

Thank you for another fun and informative video.

[@atlantascraftcreations]

I have a mythology subject after who I am named after, Atalanta.

[@highboy72]

love your content and your beautiful look, don't change anything!

[@Applee10101]

I had that same tinder date but instead of his mom it was his grandma

[@jeffbrownstain]

Your annotations for the other video didn't show up around 3ish To avoid forgetting or youtube breaking them, should do them as links in the description.

[@jamesarcher4450]

Vampire of the Library confirmed! :)

[@my_name_is_mia]

I like bright lighting more, but I'm that odd person who doesn't like dark theme on my phone......

[@sonraseal9904]

How about video about the city of Uruk or world first female author. Enheduanna ?

[@benderchump]

Whew,no Freud mention on Oedipus 😅

[@justinsamlal]

You look stunning, Cinz!

[@joaovilaca88]

In the name of all pale vampi... herm... pale human beeings... carry on!!!

[@sandyblack9698]

Great content..did you go to Harrow ?blessings from Devon.

[@mathieuleader8601]

nice golden lights