Sunday, February 05, 2006

Rising water threatens temples

"Some of the world's most precious archaeological treasures - the ancient Egyptian tombs and temples at Luxor - are being devastated by salt water that is eating their foundations, scientists have discovered. The temples of Amun, Luxor and Karnak, designated World Heritage Sites, have survived 4,000 years of arid desert heat but are now being destroyed by rising ground water. . . . The crisis has been caused by several factors, including climate change and the breakdown of the area's ageing sewer system. However, the most important threat has involved the recent, massive intensification of farming along the Nile and the widespread planting of sugar cane, a plant that flourishes in saturated soil." The story quotes Hawass saying that it will be impossible to change farming practises and that engineering solutions will need to be found.
See the entire article on the Guardian Unlimited website, above.

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