Monday, July 17, 2006

Rain on the Great Sphinx

Question: I have recently come across an article regarding the erosion on the Great Sphinx in Egypt. It is apparently a quite controversial topic. Do you know about this and what are your views regarding it? Rod, Birmingham, Alabama.
Answer: Actually, Rod, I am rather familiar with this subject. It leads to fascinating questions. There have been numerous books written on this subject. You should read some of them. The most conclusive research of which I am aware was done by a British engineer and geologist, David Coxill, in 1997 and 1998. He determined that the rounded erosion of the Sphinx, the Sphinx enclosure, the Sphinx Temple and the Valley Temple were all caused by rainfall. The "experts" refute this. They now say the erosion was caused by salt erosion. What this is is the flaking off of very thin layers of rock caused by dew that reacts with salt in the limestone rock and results in a flaking off of the outer surface. Over many years, this results in erosion. While this is certainly a proven method of erosion, it leaves a distinctive pattern in the rock face. That pattern is not present at the Sphinx. Also, and most damaging to these "experts'" version, is the fact that only the Sphinx, the Sphinx enclosure, the Sphinx Temple and the Valley Temple (both these temples were built from the rock that was removed to carve the Sphinx) show the distinctive style of water erosion that is now present in Giza. If the salt erosion method was the cause of erosion at Giza, then other structures would also show evidence of such erosion. They do not. Rain erosion causes a very distinctive pattern. That pattern is clearly obvious at the Sphinx. Only an "expert" with a political bias is unable to see it. Because of the climate conditions of that area, recognizing that the erosion of the Sphinx was caused by rainfall means that the age of the Sphinx would have to be more than twice the "accepted age." That is why the "experts" cannot accept rainfall as the source of erosion. If they accept rainfall, then they have absolutely no explanation for who built the Sphinx. But to answer your question, Rod, they is no doubt in my mind that the erosion of the Sphinx, the Sphinx enclosure, the Sphinx Temple and the Valley Temple is the result of rain.