The Environment Deterioration Impact on the Granite Rock Art Relief of Seti I in Aswan, Egypt

Abstract

Aswan is famous for Granite rock art reliefs. Seti I granite rock art relief is one of the most important of them. This granite rock art relief suffers from weakness, fragility, fragmentation and peeling because of many deterioration factors, especially environmental deterioration impacts, such as desert climate with high temperature, residential areas with cafes and shops, and air pollution from exhausts and Kima factory. They can cause chemical weathering. Scientific investigations and analyzes were conducted on this rock art relief such as USB microscope, Polarized (PM) investigation, scanning electron microscope investigation with X-ray energy dispersal unit (EDX) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis to determine the nature and the degree of deterioration, as well as the chemical and mineral composition of the rock and its natural, chemical and mechanical properties. A treatment suggestion to this granite rock art relief has been done.