Since 1965, the WMF has aided over 700 sites in 112 different countries, according to their website. Some of these sites include Chile’s Easter Island, Iraq’s Mosul Cultural Museum, and Cambodia’s Angkor Archeological Park. The independent organization notes that most of the sites are critically endangered due to climate change, imbalance tourism, and even terrorism.
Headquartered in New York City, the organization’s list for 2022 includes 25 sites including the Hitis, or Water Fountains of the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal, considered to be one of the greatest technological achievements of the Kathmandu Valley civilization. These historical drinking fountains date back to 550 AD.
In the last two decades, some of the intricately carved spouts in Hitis have either gone dry or been lost. The spouts, which provide public drinking water, are made of various materials, typically stone, and are carved into the legendary creatures Hitimanga or Makara, from Hindu mythology.
The agency is hoping to protect this network of water fountains, as well as improve the management of their aquifers.
Additionally, the royal pyramids of the ancient Kingdom of Kush, in Nuri, Sudan are included in WMF’s 2022 list. The ancient African pyramids are found throughout the Nile valley, and have largely been forgotten due to their competition with the much larger pyramids in Giza, Egypt, which stand at 455 feet tall. The endangered Nubian pyramids are much smaller, between 30 and 100 feet tall.
WMF says that in order for tourists to enjoy these archaeological treasures, conservationists have to address the sand which is eroding the surfaces of the sandstone structures, as well as rising groundwaters that have flooded the burial chambers beneath the pyramids. The reason for this is unknown to the organization, whose best guesses are irrigation for agricultural purposes as well as climate change.
"This year's Watch demonstrates that heritage preservation can offer innovative solutions to contemporary global challenges," said Bénédicte de Montlaur, president and CEO of the WMF.
"We urge the world to stand with communities and save these places of extraordinary cultural significance. Heritage sites are an incredible resource for addressing larger issues facing society as well as local needs of recognition, access, participation, and economic opportunity."
The full list of endangered historical sites is available on the organization’s website.