Sanctuary of the Scion

52:41 Sanctuary of the Scion is level 12 of the 1996 Tomb Raider and the last of its Egypt levels: Lara climbs a giant sphinx, sets two Ankhs on its head to open the door between its paws, drains a flooded temple of Horus and Set, beats Larson for the second time and takes the third piece of The Scion. It has 1 secret, and that secret is the Uzis, on an invisible platform beside the sphinx, with 29 pickups and 15 kills by Stella's count for the Remastered version. Crystal Dynamics notes that after this level "both Larson and Pierre rest" where two Scion pieces were once kept. The clip is Josh Strife Plays on the 1996 PlayStation version.

Quick facts

Source: Stella's Tomb Raider Site: Sanctuary of the Scion (Remastered counts).

Walkthrough

The blue-floored room. Go down the stairs; the doors close behind Lara. There is a set of magnum clips in each corner, and two closed gates that open later in the level. Two Atlantean mutants come running down the stairs. Atlantean mutants explode when killed, which can hurt Lara, so keep your distance: backflips and side jumps with the shotgun or pistols work, Stella writes.

53:23 On the sphinx. Climb through the opening in the ceiling onto the sphinx's back for magnum ammo and a medi pack, and kill the mutant below the collarbone ledge. Climb the pillars in the northwest sandy area to a switch that opens a gold door high in the east wall; a winged mutant flies in (in the Remastered version it sometimes gets stuck in the wall). A second switch, up the west wall, opens a carved stone door on the sphinx's left side, and another winged mutant attacks.

54:58 Two Ankhs and a Gold Key. Behind the gold door, kill the centaur and take the first Ankh from its pedestal. Behind the carved door are slopes, pools and a bridge; dive into a pool for the Gold Key, open the door off the bridge, kill the second centaur and take the second Ankh. Climb to the sphinx's head and set both Ankhs in their places to open the door between its paws. (A handstand on the head gives the Remastered achievement "Pet This Cat".)

55:36 The temple of Horus and Set. Under the sphinx is a deep pool watched by statues of Horus and Set, with Uzi ammo and shotgun shells on the bottom. The lever between Set's feet drains the pool and sweeps Lara into another room, where a winged mutant waits. There is a large medi pack in Set's ear, and a switch on Set's arm opens the door at the base of Horus. A winding passage climbs to the Scarab; taking it releases two catlike mutants and a centaur, which Stella suggests fighting from a corridor or with side flips.

56:31 Larson and the Scion. Place the Scarab in its receptacle to open the last gate, take the medi pack and clips, and face Larson. He is not very tough, and the pistols are enough. Then climb the stairs and take the third piece of the Scion to end the level.

Where is the secret in Sanctuary of the Scion?

54:22 The only secret is the Uzis, with ammunition, on an invisible platform beside the sphinx. Save first, then make a running jump to it and hold Walk so Lara stays on the platform; two winged mutants attack afterward. It is the first place the Uzis can be found in the game. Miss it, and Lara gets them later from the Skater Boy in Natla's Mines. Stella says the Remastered graphics make the platform easier to spot. In Remastered, finding it unlocks "Do Uzi This One?", and finding every Egypt secret unlocks "Codex of Egypt". More on Secrets and Weapons.

Larson in Legacy of Atlantis

Larson Conway returns in Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, played by Bradley Snedeker. The makers write that he plans to betray Lara with his partner Pierre Dupont, and that Lara takes his shotgun after beating him; they have not said where that fight happens. Egypt has been shown as a city spelled Kamun, a temple to Anubis and an Osiris trial, with new puzzles around the Egyptian pantheon, and its creatures include flying creatures and hybrid mythic creatures. No sphinx, Ankh puzzle or Sanctuary of the Scion has been named, as of Nov 2, 2026.

Frequently asked questions

How many secrets are in Sanctuary of the Scion? Sanctuary of the Scion, level 12 of Tomb Raider (1996), has just 1 secret, and it is the Uzis, on an invisible platform beside the sphinx.

How do you get the Uzis in Sanctuary of the Scion? In Tomb Raider, save, then make a running jump to the invisible platform beside the sphinx and hold Walk so Lara does not slide off. If you miss them, the Skater Boy drops the Uzis in Natla's Mines.

How do you open the sphinx door? In Tomb Raider's Sanctuary of the Scion, collect two Ankhs (one behind the gold door, one behind the carved door after the Gold Key) and place them on the sphinx's head. That opens the door between the sphinx's paws.

How do you beat Larson in Sanctuary of the Scion? In Tomb Raider, Larson waits in the Scion room after the Scarab gate opens. Stella calls him not very tough, and the pistols are enough to beat him.

What is the third piece of the Scion? In Tomb Raider, the piece in Sanctuary of the Scion is the last of the three. Lara takes it at the top of the stairs, which ends the level and the Egypt chapter. See The Scion.

Sources

• Sanctuary of the Scion, Stella's Tomb Raider Site
• TR1 Controls and Gameplay: weapon locations, Stella's Tomb Raider Site
• Tomb Raider I-III Remastered Top 5 Bosses, Crystal Dynamics, Mar 20, 2024
• Creepiest Enemies in Tomb Raider as Chosen by the Fans, Crystal Dynamics, Oct 31, 2024
• Meet Larson, Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis official site, Oct 5, 2026
• Reimagining Egypt, Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis official site, Sep 21, 2026
• Enemies of Egypt, Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis official site, Sep 28, 2026
• Was it Good? - Tomb Raider 1, Josh Strife Plays, Jan 22, 2022 (video)