Giant Sphinx Head Discovery In California Desert . . . Calling Mr. DeMille

The 300-pound head of a sphinx has been discovered in dunes in the California central coast traces. Before you rush to re-read your Egyptian history, this sphinx is the work of that great Pharaoh Cecil B. DeMille. It turns out that after filming the silent movie “The Ten Commandments” in 1923, DeMille just left parts of the huge set to be claimed the desert. It is not a Hollywood archeological site.

The site is located near the town of Guadalupe, eight miles northwest of Santa Maria the head is some 6 feet tall and 300 pounds.

I love this story.  The construction by DeMille resembled the Egyptian original in its grand size with 1,300 people and 3,000 animals to construct a set including a 12-story, 720-foot backdrop complete with 21 plaster sphinxes.  The area was dubbed the Lost City of DeMille and its “relics” are now on display.  

Unlike that Egyptian knock off, the DeMille version has been recorded in film: