ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT: Our heritage has always been threatened by the environment. The Great Sphinx was buried by sand which was cleared away several times in the ancient world. Earthquakes, storms floods and war are all capable of causing immediate damage, but the effects of climate and air pollutants typically accumulate over time and these seem likely to change in the twentieth century. The monitoring assessment of the environment and the damage it causes is important in the strategic management of heritage assets. The processes that cause damage are likely to change over the coming century with frost damage being less frequent in Europe, but damage by salts or insect infestations may be more common.
