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Ancient statue of the Sphinx.

5. Sphinx, Giza, Egypt

Built in the ancient Egyptian period, known as the old Kingdom period (ca. 2686-2134 BC), The great Sphinx now is crumbling before our very eyes. Its location, The Giza Plateau, has oblique relief aimed at East.

Topography, surrounding the monument has created natural rainwater in the western part of the Sphinx, that 1982 jerodirujushhij limestone for many years.

«In the desert there are rare and abundant rains, So yes, rain and runoff really happen», says Jim Andrews, Meteorologist from United States.

Water erosion is not the only problem, facing the Sphinx, warns Andrews. «Being in the desert, the monument is located in the air-dust Wednesday, that can move especially due to strong winds. This is akin to sandblasting, sand, being a grainy material, acts as a hand tool, it. Destruction is not izbezhno».

Another problem, associated with water resources, is that, that porous breed Sphynx is faced with groundwater. Andrews said: «Saturated salt water can be absorbed as the wick up into the porous rock. Humidity is bad for this type of large structures».

Years passed, and these monuments are preserved. However,, some of them may have a shorter life expectancy, than we think. Andrews warned, It's not worth to take the lifetime of these monuments as a tribute to the: «All, that there is on Earth, and that is artificially created, will be attacked by atmospheric forces, that will take your».

At the beginning of the article >>> Read also about the destruction of the Roman Coliseum and the Temple of Apollo in Greece. So, that order, who would like to see collapsing ancient monuments of world culture should hurry.