Difference between revisions of "Egyptology" - New World Encyclopedia

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==Antiquity Interest in Egypt==
 
==Antiquity Interest in Egypt==
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Curosity with the Egyptian Empire dates back to the height of its influence in the region, almost three thousand years ago. [[Herodotus]], the famous [[Greek]] 'father of history' wrote numerous [[tall-tales]] that exmplified the mystique of the Egyptians. <ref> Knox, Bernard Ed. "The Norton Book of Classical Literature". New York: Norton, 1993 </ref> The [[Roman]]s who occupied Egypt for centuries were fascinated by the culture of the area and were the first to really propegate the plundering of Egyptian artifacts on a massive trade scale, although the plundering of tombs and riches had been transpiring since the first tombs were built. The real dissemination of Egyptian culture outside of the [[Mediterrean]] didn't really happen until the [[French]] occupation of the [[Nile Valley]] in the [[18th Century]]. The small team of scholars who studied Egypt published the first scientific volumed called 'Description de l'Egypt'. <ref> 2001-2006[http://www.egyptologyonline.com/history1.htm </ref> The real French contribution and perhaps one of the most important moments in Egyptology was the translation of the written Egyptian language by [[Jean-Francois Champollion]] using the [[Rosetta Stone]]. By opening up the Egyptian language to widespread study, Champollion and other scholars of the time, such as [[Ippolito Rosellini]], [[Karl Richard Lepsius]] helped usher in the age of antiquity studies in Egypt. 2001-2006[http://www.egyptologyonline.com/history1.htm </ref> 
  
 
==Beginnings of Modern Egyptology==
 
==Beginnings of Modern Egyptology==
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In the early [[19th Century]] control of Egypt switched to the [[British Empire]] and with it came a contradictory era of re-newed scholarship and widespread plundering. Ironically, the plundering of Egyptian artifacts lead directly to increased awareness of the need for in-depth academic study and conservation. [[Bernadion Drovetti]] and [[Giovani Belzoni]] both helped stock the [[Louvre]], the [[Berlin Museum]], [[The British Museum]] and [[Turin Museum]] with the bulk of their Egyptian collections, as well as pieces that eventually made their way to other museums, such as the [[Metropolitian Museum of Art]] in [[New York]] and the [[Smithseonian Institute]] in [[Washington D.C.]] Widespread display of the exotic artwork helped spread [[European]] interest in the region.
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In 1858, [[Aguste Mariette]] was appointed to oversee all antiquities in Egypt. From that point on, all work in Egypt became more professional and disciplined. Many of the scholars moving in to the area came from museum settings, either in Europe or in the major Egyptian cities of [[Luxor]] and [[Alexandria]], where the predesescors of Egypt's modern day museums were already setup, and brough the meticulous attention of detail required in catalouging museum items to field work. One of the most signifigant persons during this time was [[William Matthew Flinders Petrie]] who developed many excavations and recording techniques that are still practiced by [[archaeologist]]s. During this time, such breakthroughs as the mapping of the [[pryamid]] [[architecture]] by [[Ludwig Borcharadt]], the discovery of the [[pryamid texts]] by [[Emile Charles Adalbert Brugsch]], the excavation of [[Aswan]] by [[Ernest Alfred Thompson Wallis Budge]] and mass excavations in the [[Valley of the Kings]] all took place . <ref> Dunn, Jimmy. 1999-2005 [http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/egyptologists.htm "The Egyptologists"] Intercity Oz, Inc. Retrieved December 27, 2006 </ref>.
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In the early [[20th Century]], [[Howard Carter]] and [[Lord Carnarvon]] discovered the tomb of [[Tutakhamen]], one of the most famous discoveries in Egyptology of all time. Tutakhamen's tomb was one of the few tombs ever found undisturbed, but also was the first major discovery to be carried by the new technological breakthroughs of media, helping to spread news of the discovery throughout the western world and re-establish the public's interest in Egypt (The rumors of curses and strange occurances surrounding the excavation helped spread excitement over the discovery). Although Carter's technique was meticulous for the day, his destructive autopsy of Tutakhamen's body highlights how far Egyptology had before becoming a rigidly practiced discipline.
  
 
==Contemporary and Future Issues in Egyptology==
 
==Contemporary and Future Issues in Egyptology==

Revision as of 00:06, 28 December 2006


Egyptology as an academic discipline did not fully emerge until the 19th century with the translation of the Rosetta Stone. Yet interest, both ametur and academic, in Egyptian civilization and culture goes back as far as the Ancient Greeks. Fascination with all things Egyptian has led to plundering, desecration and massive dissemination of the vast physical and cultural remains of ancient Egypt.Recntly, as academics and the Egyptian government have asserted the importance of preservations and full understanding of Egyptian heritage.

Defintion

Egyptology is a specialized field of study, drawing on the practices of Archaeology, history, antiquity and Near East Studies. Egyptology investigates the range of Ancient Egyptian culture/s (language, literature, history, religion, art, economics, and ethics) from the 5th millennium B.C.E. up to the end of Roman rule in the 4th century AD. Because it is such a specialized discipline, Egyptologists usually spend a majority of their careers exclusively studying ancient Egpytian civilization, at one or more of the centeral Egyptology centers in the world:

A Brief Over-view of Ancient Egyptian Civilization

Ancient Egyptwas one of the longest and most advanced of ancient civilizations. Believed to have appeared as a unified state no earlier than 3300 B.C.E., it lasted for over three millenia, until about 300 B.C.E., and is categorized into nine different Dynasty periods. Their achievements in engineering are the most visible today, the pryamids and monuments being recognizable world-wide. But they also had a complicated irrigation technique that harenessed the power of the Nile, a complicated writing system known today as hieroglyphics, complex labor organizations, and a highly structured political and religious structure [1]. Perhaps one of the best known traditions of the Egyptians was the practice of Mummification. The Egyptian funeral was a complex ceremony including various monuments, prayers, and rituals undertaken in the dead's honor. However, the practice also points out the stringent social stratification of the Egpytian society. Mummification was for the rich and prestigious, while the poor, which could not afford expensive tombs were buried in shallow graves in the sand, and because of the natrual, arid, dry enviroment they were often natrally mummified. For most of the civilization's existence, the main religion was polytheistic, and had elements of naturalismin that certain natural phenomeon, such as the Nile River, The Sun and moon, were all personified in different deities.

Antiquity Interest in Egypt

Curosity with the Egyptian Empire dates back to the height of its influence in the region, almost three thousand years ago. Herodotus, the famous Greek 'father of history' wrote numerous tall-tales that exmplified the mystique of the Egyptians. [2] The Romans who occupied Egypt for centuries were fascinated by the culture of the area and were the first to really propegate the plundering of Egyptian artifacts on a massive trade scale, although the plundering of tombs and riches had been transpiring since the first tombs were built. The real dissemination of Egyptian culture outside of the Mediterrean didn't really happen until the French occupation of the Nile Valley in the 18th Century. The small team of scholars who studied Egypt published the first scientific volumed called 'Description de l'Egypt'. [3] The real French contribution and perhaps one of the most important moments in Egyptology was the translation of the written Egyptian language by Jean-Francois Champollion using the Rosetta Stone. By opening up the Egyptian language to widespread study, Champollion and other scholars of the time, such as Ippolito Rosellini, Karl Richard Lepsius helped usher in the age of antiquity studies in Egypt. 2001-2006[http://www.egyptologyonline.com/history1.htm </ref>

Beginnings of Modern Egyptology

In the early 19th Century control of Egypt switched to the British Empire and with it came a contradictory era of re-newed scholarship and widespread plundering. Ironically, the plundering of Egyptian artifacts lead directly to increased awareness of the need for in-depth academic study and conservation. Bernadion Drovetti and Giovani Belzoni both helped stock the Louvre, the Berlin Museum, The British Museum and Turin Museum with the bulk of their Egyptian collections, as well as pieces that eventually made their way to other museums, such as the Metropolitian Museum of Art in New York and the Smithseonian Institute in Washington D.C. Widespread display of the exotic artwork helped spread European interest in the region.

In 1858, Aguste Mariette was appointed to oversee all antiquities in Egypt. From that point on, all work in Egypt became more professional and disciplined. Many of the scholars moving in to the area came from museum settings, either in Europe or in the major Egyptian cities of Luxor and Alexandria, where the predesescors of Egypt's modern day museums were already setup, and brough the meticulous attention of detail required in catalouging museum items to field work. One of the most signifigant persons during this time was William Matthew Flinders Petrie who developed many excavations and recording techniques that are still practiced by archaeologists. During this time, such breakthroughs as the mapping of the pryamid architecture by Ludwig Borcharadt, the discovery of the pryamid texts by Emile Charles Adalbert Brugsch, the excavation of Aswan by Ernest Alfred Thompson Wallis Budge and mass excavations in the Valley of the Kings all took place . [4].

In the early 20th Century, Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon discovered the tomb of Tutakhamen, one of the most famous discoveries in Egyptology of all time. Tutakhamen's tomb was one of the few tombs ever found undisturbed, but also was the first major discovery to be carried by the new technological breakthroughs of media, helping to spread news of the discovery throughout the western world and re-establish the public's interest in Egypt (The rumors of curses and strange occurances surrounding the excavation helped spread excitement over the discovery). Although Carter's technique was meticulous for the day, his destructive autopsy of Tutakhamen's body highlights how far Egyptology had before becoming a rigidly practiced discipline.

Contemporary and Future Issues in Egyptology

There are many open problems concerning Ancient Egypt, and some of them may never be solved. Egyptian archaeology is in a state of constant transition, with much of the terminology and chronology in dispute. The archeological record is incomplete, with countless relics and artifacts missing or destroyed. New archaeological discoveries can call into question previous conclusions about Ancient Egypt. Furthermore, there are internal problems of overall cohesion of various dynasties and there are problems reconciling the Egyptian civilization with other concurrent civilizations.


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  1. ↑ "Ancient Egypt". Ask.com http://www.answers.com/topic/ancient-egypt 1 Dec. 2006
  2. ↑ Knox, Bernard Ed. "The Norton Book of Classical Literature". New York: Norton, 1993
  3. ↑ 2001-2006[http://www.egyptologyonline.com/history1.htm
  4. ↑ Dunn, Jimmy. 1999-2005 "The Egyptologists" Intercity Oz, Inc. Retrieved December 27, 2006
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