Fig. 301.—The tall date palm.
Begin carving the Sphinx by cutting a larger size from [Fig. 298] of stiff sandpaper. Mark the head with ink as nearly as possible like [Fig. 299]. Should you fail in this, find a print of the head in some old paper or magazine, cut it out and paste it on [Fig. 298]. Bend the design across the dotted line, and the Sphinx will be ready to crouch close down on your sandy plain. There is no need of carving the body, because that of the real Sphinx is entirely covered with sand, with only the head above ground, and we want ours to look like the original.
Fig. 302.—Bend the stem where it joins the base.
In parts of Egypt the wind sweeps the sand in great masses against and over all objects, so the people had their
Buildings Made with Slanting Sides
that the sand might slip off when it struck them. Try pouring some sand on your pyramids and you will understand the reason of the peculiar style of architecture. The land in Egypt on which the Sphinx and pyramids stand is the plain of Gizeh; consequently, you must give that name to the place where you set up your structures. The
Tall Date Palm
is a beautiful tree. The leaves are glossy and spread out in a graceful crown; its stem is marked with old leaf scars, giving it a very different appearance from the bark of our native trees.