The Sphynx of Bucegi
Overview
The myths surrounding the whole of Romania fascinate me. The ancient Dacian’s held a considerable number of superstitions and folklore, filled with horror and barbarism (So the Roman annuals tell us). But as a modern reader of folklore and fairy tales, I have a healthy appreciation of the wonderful imagination (or hallucinations) of the ancient tribes that called the Carpathians their home.
From witches, trolls, and vampires to churches, crosses, and bishops, Romania is a living relic reflecting a cultured and colorful past. Just below Caraiman Peak stands the prominent Heroes’ Cross, a Christian memorial for fallen WWI soldiers. But if we rewind our timeline 1,000 years, visible across the valley is the Sphynx of Bucegi, a weathered outcropping watching over the valley, said to be the advisor of an ancient Dacian god called Zamolxis.
With an ovular shape, chiseled “teeth like” groves, and two prominent cavities near the top, the human imagination easily recognizes the form of a stone skull. For those well traveled folks, you can easily make a visual connection to the Great Sphinx of Giza, a human-like head atop at long, anamorphic body.
This simply provides more merit to the deep Dacian lore that runs through the very roots of the mountains.
Geology
However, the similarities stop here, as the “Romanian Sphinx” is not man-made, but a product of erosion and strong gales. Before time was considered measurable, the sphynx finds itself completely submerged in water, where various sediment particles are bound together to form a large conglomerate mound. Whether this water was liquid, snow or ice, I am not sure.
After the waters dissipated, the exposed outcropping was carved into its present form by strong winds. I can imagine the two eye sockets as large boulders, slowly freed millennia ago from their surrounding grit by differential erosion. They fall to the ground with a thud, unheard by any human ear.
Location
Bucegi Sphinx is located in the South Carpathians on the Bucegi Plateau, North of the Walachian Plain. The closest major city to the Sphinx is Brașov, approximately 82km N.W. and ~170 km north of Bucharest.
Mythology
I see early Dacian tribes–or perhaps the man behind the legend Zamolxis–stumble across the Bucegi Sphinx, terrified of the large, mysterious demon staring at him. Lost and confused, he is temporarily frozen in shock. I imagine a hermit, catching him unawares and causing our protagonist to shout out in defense. The hermit is a harmless man, living alone in the valley. He welcomes our man to his dwelling (preferably a cave) for fresh food and drink.
The legend of the monotheistic god of Dacians is born…maybe.
Zamolxis had roots in ancient Greek writing. Herodotus’s Histories weaves a large web of lore across the undiscovered European continent, starting out on the Greek island Samos. His disappearance into the Romanian wilderness and sudden “resurrection” back into written history, became a foundational belief of the Dacian culture, where suicide held more allure than death by your enemies (a contemporary example is Decebalus’s suicide over his defeat against Roman Emperor Trajan in 106 AD). One location with claim to Zamolxis Romanin hideaway is Ialomiţa Cave.
Additional geological structures in the Bucegi Plateau also bear mythic backgrounds similar to the sphynx. Omu Peak has a genesis as a sharpsighted Dacian who kept watch for invading armies. Babele din Bucegi morph from “mushroom rocks” into three haggard ladies hunched over together in protection from fierce storms.
Observations
There is such breadth of information concerning the history of Romania that is unknown. Learning about the figure of Zamolxis and his ties to Greek mythology remind me of how interconnected tribes were across the continent during the previous millennia.
During the Mongol invasion in 1241 AD, any existing records of the Wallachian and Transylvanian cultures were destroyed. Much of the rich Carpathian history remains unknown.
Conclusion
Today, the Sphynx of Bucegi is a popular place to visit in the Bucegi Plateau, alongside the Babele (Old Ladies) and Ialomiței Cave. Nationalism before the turn of the millennia saw a revitalization in the origins of Romania, especially the Dacian heroes of old. Alongside the Rock Sculpture of Decebalus on the Danube River, and Vlad the Impaler’s Bran Castle, Bucegi Sphynx is not just a historical landmark, but a symbol of national Romanian pride and Dacian strength.
References
Necheş, I. M., & Erdeli, G. (2015). Geolandscapes and Geotourism: Integrating Nature and Culture in the Bucegi Mountains of Romania. Landscape Research, 40(4), 486–509.
Ovidiu Murărescu, George Murătoreanu & Mădălina Frînculeasa. Scientific Annals of Stefan Cel Mare University of Suceava. Geography Series. June 2023.
IRINA-MARIA NECHES. “Exploring the Mythological and Religious Value of Geoheritage. Case Study: The Bucegi Mountains.” Annals of the University of Bucharest: Geography Series, vol. 62, Oct. 2013.
Carmen, Sylva, and Strettell Alma. “Legends from River & Mountain.” Gutenberg.org, 2016.
Mat, Mahmut. “The Bucegi Sphinx, Romania | Geology, Formation.” Geology Science, 9 June 2023.
Oprea R, Nedelea A, & Comănescu L. “Petrographic Relief In The Bucegi (Prahovean Area) And Ceahlau Mountains (Central Area) – The Romanian Carpathians. Scientific Approach Vs Local Legends.” GeoJournal of Tourism and Geosites, 10(2), 183-192