Split, Croatia: Egyptian Sphinx

You might be surprised to see an Egyptian touch in Diocletian's Palace. As you tour the area, you quite likely might bump into the a sphinx.

This nice little "decoration" is about 3,000 years old, dating back to the days of Pharaoh Thutmose III. Diocletian was said to have been fascinated by the Egyptian culture, and the sphinx was shipped to Split some time around 298. It's a rare connection between these two great civilizations of the past. 

The sphinx is located on the Peristyle, which is the main street of the palace area. Apparently it suffered some damage over the years, but that's to be expected for something that old. Sometimes pagan symbols took a beating in certain times of history.