Was the head of the Great Sphinx always that of a man?

Yes, indeed, the proportions of the body are all messed up. It is indeed possible that it looked like your normal Sphinx when a pharaoh, possibly Khafre, demanded the head be chiselled to his likeness, hence the small size. read more

It is indeed possible that it looked like your normal Sphinx when a pharaoh, possibly Khafre, demanded the head be chiselled to his likeness, hence the small size. However, there is zero proof to support this theory. read more

The Sphinx in Egypt showing the entrance through the head. Credit: Garry Cannon. The head and face of the Sphinx must have been changed from its original shape long after the monument was first carved. There is hardly any damage and no erosion on its head compared to its body.” Cannon explained. read more

The commonly used name "Sphinx" was given to it in classical antiquity, about 2000 years after the commonly accepted date of its construction by reference to a Greek mythological beast with a lion's body, a woman's head and the wings of an eagle (although, like most Egyptian sphinxes, the Great Sphinx has a man's head and no wings). read more