Archaeology, sort of

This is a conversation I had with one of my co-workers:

Mike: "At my last job I had a friend who was studying to be an archaeologist. She got to take us to the museum once after hours for a special tour."

Me: "I bet that was pretty cool!"

Mike: "Uh-huh. She used to go to Egypt, too. Once, she was over by that...uh...I can't remember. What's the name of that big cat that sits over there in the desert?"

Me: "The Sphinx?"

Mike: "Yeah."

Me: "You just called the Sphinx, one of the most ancient constructs in the world, 'that big cat that sits over there in the desert?'"

Mike (sheepishly): "Uh, yeah."

Me: "All rightey, then."