Chikaosa Tanimoto

Interaction between water and eocene limestone

Abstract The Great Sphinx at Giza, Egypt was carved out of Middle Eocene limestone formations. They are highly porous and cavernous showing the evidence of having been greatly affected by water erosion. To investigate possible mechanism of its deterioration, the Japanese Sphinx Monitoring Mission organized by the authors carried out monitoring the monument site by means of moisture measurement, infrared thermal scanning, electric resistivity measurement, etc. in the winter of 1995. Also, the interaction between water and limestone was tested in the laboratory from the point of view on salinization and evapotranspiration. The daily cycle of moisture content and temperature at the Sphinx site has been clarified.