Pyramids of Giza
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Historical Photographs of Giza

The earliest images were taken just months after the invention of photography. They show a sand-buried Sphinx and a plateau without any surrounding city.

Last checked 2026-10-03·Reading time 2 minutes·4 Sources

The Images in Chronological Order

The Pyramids of Giza from a distance, photograph by Gustave Le Gray, c. 1865
c. 1865: Gustave Le Gray photographs the pyramids from a distance. This image is among the early panoramas of the plateau.
The Sphinx from the south, buried to its chest, c. 1867
1865–1870: The Sphinx viewed from the south, buried to its chest. It remained in this condition until excavation began in 1925.
Partial view of the plateau with the profile of the buried Sphinx, 1870
1870: Partial view of the plateau showing the profile of the still-buried Sphinx.
Pyramids of Khafre and Menkaure, photograph by Hippolyte Béchard, 1870s
1870–1880: The pyramids of Khafre (right) and Menkaure, photographed by Hippolyte Béchard.
Panorama of the plateau with the three great pyramids, c. 1875
c. 1875: Panorama of the plateau featuring all three great pyramids, by Hippolyte Béchard.
Travelers being helped up the Great Pyramid, Félix Bonfils, c. 1875
c. 1875: Travelers are assisted up the Great Pyramid. Climbing was common until the 20th century and is now prohibited.
Resting with camels at the Valley Temple, pyramids in the background, c. 1875
c. 1875: Resting with four camels at the Valley Temple, with the pyramids in the background. Félix Bonfils.
Receding floodwaters before the plateau, c. 1875
c. 1875: Receding Nile floodwaters before the plateau. Until the construction of the Aswan High Dam, the annual flood reached the edge of the desert every year.
Men standing on the Sphinx, exposed only to the neck, 1875–1888
1875–1888: Men stand on the Sphinx, which is exposed only to the neck. Félix Bonfils.
The Sphinx from the front, body in sand, two pyramids behind, late 19th century
Late 19th century: The Sphinx from the front, its body still buried in sand, with two of the pyramids visible behind it.
Overall view of the three pyramids from the south, c. 1900
c. 1900: Overall view of the three pyramids from the south, from the Rijksmuseum collection.
The Sphinx during Schiapelli's excavations, 1903
1903: The Sphinx during Ernesto Schiaparelli's excavations; the Great Pyramid is on the right, the Pyramid of Khafre on the left.
Excavation photo from the eastern cemetery, 1903
1903: Excavation photo from the eastern cemetery, at the mastaba tomb of the official Iteti.
English tourists on camels before the Great Pyramid and Sphinx, 1904
1904: English tourists on camels in front of the Great Pyramid and the Sphinx.
Participants of the Cairo Conference before the pyramids, March 1921
March 20, 1921: Participants of the Cairo Conference before the pyramids.
Visitors on the peak of the Great Pyramid, 1920s
1920s: Visitors standing on the peak of the Great Pyramid.
Scaffolding on the Sphinx during excavation, 1926
1926: Scaffolding on the Sphinx during excavation by Émile Baraize, which had begun in 1925.
George Reisner at an excavation at the foot of the Sphinx, 1927
November 13, 1927: George Reisner, head of the Harvard excavations, at an excavation site at the foot of the Sphinx.
The Sphinx from the side during Baraize's excavations, c. 1930Émile Baraize
c. 1930: The Sphinx from the side during Émile Baraize's excavations; retaining walls and Roman stairs east of the figure are being uncovered.
Evening atmosphere during high Nile water near the pyramids, 1936
1936: Evening atmosphere during high Nile water near the pyramids, from the Matson Collection.
Great Pyramid and Sphinx on a hand-colored glass slide, 1937Leo Wehrli
1937: Great Pyramid and Sphinx on a hand-colored glass slide by Leo Wehrli.
An Australian soldier in front of the pyramid, 1941Tom Beazley, published by aussiejeff
1941: An Australian soldier in front of the pyramid. During World War II, Allied troops were stationed at Giza.

Historical photographs of Giza are remarkable for two reasons, the first being a matter of timing.

The daguerreotype process was publicly introduced in August 1839. By October of that same year, a French group had traveled to Egypt, and by November, the first documented photograph of the country had been taken there. Thus, only weeks—not decades—separated the invention of photography from its application at this site.

The second reason is the content. These images depict a state that no one can see today: the Sphinx buried up to its shoulders in sand, the plateau devoid of the surrounding city, and the structures lacking modern paths, fences, and barriers. They are not an exercise in nostalgia, but a primary source.

Why These Images Look So Different

The photographic processes explain why these images look so varied. A daguerreotype is a unique image on a silvered plate: there is no negative, no print, and each exposure exists exactly once. Around 1850, paper-based processes gained prominence, allowing for serial prints. From the mid-1850s onward, glass negatives became available, bringing the sharpness we recognize from familiar views.

These processes also explain why so few people appear in these photos. Exposure times were long, and anyone who moved disappeared from the final image. Additionally, the effort required was significant: paper and glass processes had to be coated, exposed, and developed on-site, meaning photographers carried mobile darkrooms, often in tents or boats. What looks like an empty place is partly a technical effect and partly the result of a single exposure representing half a day's work.

This leads to a circumstance that seems paradoxical today. The first published images from Egypt were not photographs. Because daguerreotypes could not be printed, they were hand-drawn for publication and issued as engravings. Thus, what the European public saw were drawings based on photographs, created by people who had never seen the monuments themselves.

Where the Images Can Be Viewed Freely

You can view these images free of charge in the collections that hold them. The Metropolitan Museum, for example, features a view of the Sphinx and the Great Pyramid from 1857 by Francis Frith, an albumen print from a glass negative, which is in the public domain and available in high resolution. Numerous salt paper prints from a French expedition to Egypt in 1850 come from the same collection.

The second major collection consists of a different type of image: excavation photography. The Giza Archive at Harvard University holds tens of thousands of images from campaigns in the early 20th century, including diary pages and plans. These images do not show scenic views but rather work, and they are more valuable for research than any postcard view.

A note on usage: Public domain does not automatically mean free to use in any context, as collections may impose their own conditions on their digital surrogates. Details can be found on the page regarding free images.

Frequently asked questions

When was the first photograph taken in Egypt?

In November 1839, just months after the public introduction of the daguerreotype in August of that year.

Why was the Sphinx buried back then?

Because it silted up without regular excavation. In 19th-century photographs, the body is usually only partially visible.

Why were the first published images engravings?

Because daguerreotypes could not be printed. For publication, they were drawn by hand and issued as engravings.

Where can I view such images?

In the online collections of museums and in the Giza Archive at Harvard University, mostly free of charge and in high resolution.

Am I allowed to use the images?

Often yes, because the originals are in the public domain. However, specific conditions may apply to the digital surrogates.

Status: August 2026Collection holdings grow and usage conditions change occasionally. Check the details provided by the respective collection before publishing your own uses.