CAIRO: An Egyptologist launched a website aimed at warning against the underground water that is threatening the Sphinx and other antiquities in the Pyramid plateau. On his website "Save the Sphinx, Bassam El Shammaa, who is a recurrent visitor to the area as a researcher and a tour guide, is voicing his concern about the pools of water that can be seen near the Sphinx, the Valley Temple and the Sphinx Temple. According to El Shammaa, the monuments are vulnerable since the water has risen to the level that allows vegetation to grow on the surface. "The pools could have been formed from groundwater or through the irrigation of the fields adjacent to the plateau, he explained. He didn't rule out the sewage of the nearby district Nazlit El Semman as another possible source. El Shammaa said that having no background in geology did not deter him from taking action, because the water is visible to the naked eye. After voicing his concerns to the media as well as on his website www.sossphinx.bassam.itgo.com, experts at the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) argue that the situation remains under control and that a team of geologists from Cairo University is investigating the issue, adding that efforts are in full swing to contain the risk. Zahi Hawass, head of the SCA, said that the council is waiting for a statement from geological experts so that proper steps could be taken. The problem surfaced in the 1980s when small pools of water were spotted in the area, but concerns soon faded as the water dried under the blazing summer sun. El Shammaa says some SCA officials accuse him of seeking fame by promoting the issue. He maintains, however, that he's genuinely interested in saving the ancient Egyptian monuments. "I am driven by a sense of responsibility. Even if there was no threat to the Sphinx, what about the Sphinx Temple and the Valley Temple that are closer to the water? Should we sacrifice them because the Sphinx is safe? said El Shammaa. El Shammaa is also known for expressing anxiety about the effect of the electricity cables used for spotlights at the Abu Simbel Temple. "Those could burst and smash some of the rocks, especially when the temperature rises in this area to 56 degrees during the summer, El Shammaa said, citing a cable that exploded at Abu El Hagag mosque adjacent to the Luxor Temple, which could have jeopardized the ancient structure. El Shammaa pointed out that the rock from which the Sphinx was carved is 55 million years old, which, in geological terms, is not very old. "No cracks can be detected in the statue because it has been restored many times. But we should do something immediately.
