Abstract
Environmental Impacts on Archaeological sites and Culture in Aswan.
Prof. Magdi M. Ali
Prof. of Aquatic EcologyFaculty of Science, Aswan University and Dean of Faculty of Fish & Fisheries Technology
The present paper is attempting to expose environmental impacts on culture and archaeological sites in Aswan. The environment is considered the driving force in cultural change, or merely a factor in development. Environmental changes can be grouped into: (a) natural changes; and (b) man-made changes. Natural changes include change that may occurred due to natural changes of rivers direction e.g. the natural bends of the River Nile in Kom Ombo, Aswan and Dendara, Qena where the temple of Sobek and the grand temple to the goddess Hathor and Abydos, respectively, were built. Man-made changes include both physical and chemical changes as a result damming of rivers, e.g. Old Aswan dam and the High Dam at Aswan, and subsequently changes in water flow and flood regime and changes water chemical composition. Urbanization and the resulted waste water seepages that may affect the archaeological sites were also discussed. The present survey attempts to provide solutions to minimise impacts of man-made environmental changes on archaeological sites and the subsequently resulted culture changes.
