A combination of swage , salt, air pollution , sun, sand and wind may destroy the huge statue on the outskirts of Cairo . The statue of the son God has a body of a lion and the face of human being . It is five thousand years old . But it is too badly damaged to be completely saved .
The statute had already been dug out of the sand three times . However , the latest problems are much more serious . First, there are no proper drains and water pipes in the neighborhood and the underground passage round the statue have became blocked . Too much water has been running into the stone statue for several years .As a result , tiny pieces of salt have been left on the stone and have damaged it .
Secondly , air pollution from the increasing amount of traffic in Cairo is also destroying the ancient statue . The air is so full of poisonous gases that is making the stone crumble and decay even faster .
Thirdly, the statue is being damaged by extremes of temperatures for example. Although the air is very cold at night , during the day the stone of the statue becomes very hot under the strong sun . Other natural forces such as severe sandstorms also attack the statue .
Finally, the tourists who visit the statue everyday also cause a lot of damage .
the statue was built ...... years a go
