As the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World still standing, the Great Pyramid of Giza is an astonishing sight to behold.
The largest of the pyramids and the only one recognized as a ‘World Wonder,’ it’s thought to have taken tens of thousands of workers around 20 years to build.
Constructed using millions of heavy blocks, it served as the tomb of Pharaoh Khufu.
One man was greeted by another gobsmacking view as he paraglided above the famous Egyptian pyramid, built more than 4,000 years ago.
Tourist Alex Lang was soaring over the 455-foot structure when he spotted a dog roaming the top of it, seemingly unbothered by the staggering drop to the ground.
The courageous canine – who, with its sandy-colored coat, blended in with the pyramid – was reportedly seen barking at birds as it explored the structure’s peak.
The jaw-dropping sight was filmed by the paraglider, who had initially noticed movement on the surface of the pyramid before realizing it was a plucky pooch.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Lang’s footage went viral on social media, with some users suggesting the dog might be the embodiment of an Egyptian God, the Daily Mail reports.
One commented: “Not a dog. That is the Egyptian God Anubis. He is considered the guide of the dead in the afterlife and the protector of the tombs. That’s why it is over the pyramid.”
Another wrote: “God Anubis chilling out.”
A third said: “If he [the dog] pees there, all Egypt belongs to him.”
However, some viewers expressed concern for the dog’s wellbeing.
“I wonder how long it took him. I want him to come down and get some water,” posted one.
Professional adventure athlete Marshall Mosher, who re-shared Lang’s footage, later revealed that the canine had made its way back down the Great Pyramid.
Taking to Instagram, he said: “The famous dog of the Great Pyramids was finally seen coming back down after his morning climb by @retreatours. Do you think he lives up there?”
In a separate post, Mosher also claimed that more than 100 stray dogs roam the area, though it’s unlikely many of them have made the exhausting climb up the Great Pyramid.
The dog who achieved the feat was not only courageous – but a lawbreaker, too.
It is illegal to climb Egypt’s pyramids, which draw tourists from across the globe.
In 2016, it was reported that a German teenager had been handed a lifelong ban from Egypt after scaling the Great Pyramid so he could snap sweeping views from atop it.
He was lucky to escape without jail time – with offenders facing up to three years behind bars.
In Ancient Egypt, pets were considered gifts from the Gods,’ to be respected and well-cared for until their deaths, according to the World History Encyclopedia.
When they passed, these pets – ranging from dogs and cats to lions, monkeys and hippos – were expected to return to the divine realm from which they’d come.
Some were lovingly mummified, in the same way that humans were.
