A World Beneath the Sands: The Golden Age of Egyptology

A World Beneath the Sands: The Golden Age of Egyptology by Toby A. H. Wilkinson

Egypt has been one of the centers of archaeological exploration and discovery. The climate allowed for preservation of ancient artifacts. The large scale structures like the pyramids show evidence of a grand civilization. The accounts in the Bible encouraged discovery. It was located close to Europe and well documented in Roman history. It seemed to have a lot going for it.  The Rosetta Stone helped enable understanding of the language and kicked things into high gear. Discoveries continue to come in spits and stutters. Both Britain and France laid claims to the area at a time when they were regularly in conflict with each other. Antiquities were gathered for various museums. Research was done in various manners, with some being more destructive. Eventually the "gentlemen explorers" transformed to professional archeologists. Egypt started to exert more control for itself. (Though at one time it had a huge western population with a a country more interested in showing its grandeur than providing for its people.) The book is an interesting account of the work of discovery in Egypt. It does not try to be "history" of ancient Egypt, but rather of the modern explorations and relations with the modern state.