Statues of sphinxes are first attested in Egypt in Dynasty 4, the most famous example being the Great Sphinx at Giza. In ancient Egypt, this type of statuary was associated with the sun god Re. It usually represented a king with a human head and a lion’s body. Sphinxes of Middle Kingdom kings have a recognizable style showing a complete lion’s body and only a human face as in this dark granite sphinx. Discovered in 1861 at Tanis (San al–Hagar) in the Eastern Delta, it was first usurped by a Hyksos ruler in Dynasty 15 or 16, then by Ramesses II and Merenptah in Dynasty 19. Under King Psusennes I of Dynasty 21, the statue was finally brought to Tanis (San al–Hagar).