Luxor temple is one of Egypt's most popular tourist attractions as well as one of its most threatened ancient monuments. Photo by David Boyer © National Geographic Society
What is the number one threat to Egypt’s ancient monuments? Stampedes of tourists? Looters? No, it is water. In this country where over 90 percent of the land is desert, the stone and mud brick structures created by its ancient inhabitants are threatened by water in the air and water underground.
This is not news, but the public needs to be more aware of this situation so we can support the efforts of archaeologists and hydrologists who are trying to solve the problem.
The problem starts with Lake Nasser, the 310-mile-long lake created by the Aswan High Dam. Water that evaporates off this lake has added humidity to the air that was not present before. This new moisture causes salts trapped in structures to burst through surfaces, destroying delicate carvings, paintings, and creating structural problems. Mud brick structures are particularly vulnerable not only to this, but to increased rainfall. They now erode more in a decade than they did previously in a hundred years.
These same buildings are attacked from underground by rising levels of groundwater which contain dissolved salts. These salts penetrate the stone of foundations. When they evaporate they cause the stone, usually sandstone or limestone, to crumble. Many structures are already critically damaged. No one knows for sure how long before such structural damage will result in collapses, but estimates range from several years to a decade.
This is why Dr. Zahi Hawass of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities and a National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence, says that groundwater is his number one concern (see Getty Conservation Institute newsletter 1).
Groundwater problems are widespread at archaeological sites along the Nile. In the south at the Luxor and Karnak temple complexes, two of Egypt’s top tourist attractions, water flows underground from irrigated fields toward the sites, gaining in salinity as it flows. The groundwater problem there is made worse by farmers flooding their fields to grow sugar cane. This causes an excessive amount of water to enter the water table. A “dewatering program” was implemented at these sites and has met with temporary success. A more permanent solution may lie in efforts to convince farmers to plant less water-intensive crops, such as beans. (see Getty Conservation Institute newsletter 2).
In the north of Egypt at Cairo, rising groundwater and flooding is causing problems at the base of the Giza plateau. According to Reda Mohamed el-Damak, director of the Center of Studies and Designs for Water Projects at Cairo University's Faculty of Engineering (see full report ) the problem there is not just water, but water tainted by “sewage containing toxic waste and chemicals.” Like a stopped up toilet, inadequate sewage and drainage systems are causing water to back up.
The solutions to this problem are known. One needs to either reduce the amount of water being put into the ground or provide ways for the water to drain away. The problem for Dr. Hawass and Egyptologists is that the solution must be quick and it will likely be very expensive. From 2000 to 2006, USAID and Egypt spent $15 million building a new sewer system around a few historic buildings in Old Cairo. The water had to be drawn 1.5 kilometers down pipes to another sewer system that was lower in elevation. The Luxor project is said to have cost almost $8 million (see article). It is not hard to see how the cost of these types of rescue efforts can add up very quickly.
I wonder if anyone imagined that after spending $1 billion to build the Aswan High Dam in the 1960s that it would create what might end up being a $1 billion problem down the road? Is Egypt or the world ready to spend that kind of money to save Egyptian monuments? If not, how would you decide what to save and what to let crumble?
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Comments
Oct 3, 2008 11AM #
The dewatering programs around Karnak and Luxor Temple have certainly revealed a correlation between agricultural watering and rising ground water at the Temples. It has been proven that when the iirrigation canals are drained each year for cleaning the water level at the Temples drops.
However, it was not the farmers who need convincing to grow less water intensive crops but the government. Until last year it was the government who required the farmers to plant sugar cane. Only now are we seeing a much needed increase in the cultivation of cereal crops such as wheat.
Oct 3, 2008 11AM #
??? I am a photographer waiting for the storm to clear of all things. My question is ?? How can I incorporate photography with Archeology. This is my second year in college at Boise State. I really love the discovery of Archeology but my passion is photography. any advice in this field. Marvin Lee Schwenk Idaho. /Career move
Oct 3, 2008 11AM #
Marvin: A good place to start is with National Geographic magazine. There is an average of one article a month that includes photography related to archaeology. You can see how the pros do it there. If you want to practice at an actual site, there are many opportunities to volunteer at digs. Check this out: http://www.archaeological.org/webinfo.php?page=10015
Oct 3, 2008 11AM #
The high dam is a perfect example of seriously underestimating nature's balancing formulas. I am concerned not only about the water levels, which is a slow destructive force, but more so those sudden disasters such as increased activity in earthquakes and tremors that occur due to the massive size and pressure lake Nasser exerts on the surrounding land. Add that activity with poor maintenance of the dam, which is now approaching 50 years in age, and was built with questionable engineering and materials of the time, we have a far more seriuos situation that could wipe out upper egypt in a matter of hours. As far as the north, once again because of the High Dam, the Mediteranean Sea is expanding into areas of the delta, destroying agricultural land. In the process, many buried buildings and tombs from ancient Egypt, Greek and Roman times are being destroyed by salt water.
Back in 1960, when the Dam was built, Egypt's population was at aboout 25 Million, today it stands atabout 80 Million - that is three times the population - Total areable land has gone from about 5% back then to about 7% today. Three times the population still live on pretty much the same area of land 5 decades ago. And, as far as sewage goes, well, in Cairo, the system was originally designed for a population of 2 million back in the 1950's, and some 15 to 20 million utilize the same system. Although many don't utilize it, the system fell apart and sewage has been pouring out of old, rusted, broken pipes for decades.
The problem is a multi dimensional complex matrix,(cultural, agriculture, social, historical, and even religious) that will take far more than 1 billion dollars to resolve. Egypt has a serious overpopulation problem, an exeptionally high rate (95%)of poverty, a minute 2% of extremely rich (and powerful), and no middle class.
I admire and respect the effort that many organizations are committing to Egypt - especially NG - but these are primarily short term, band aid solutions, instead of the major surgery that is needed. Until then, I'm afraid many of the monuments and history will be disappearing over the next decade or less.
Oct 3, 2008 11AM #
I wanna ask you about begining of Ancient Egypt.
Were they came from? Who despire or what despire this culture?
Why so advanced culture formation very quickly from nothing?
I heard people from Atlantis build this culture but i don't think so...
Im sorry for my bad english :)
Oct 3, 2008 11AM #
Jarek: The beginnings of Ancient Egypt are found in Africa. The idea that their culture came out of nowhere or was imported from Mesopotamia, Europe, Atlantis, or outer space is not supported by the latest archaeological evidence. See our blog post on Ancient Egypt for more information.
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