Why Egypt Calls to Us?

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When British archaeologist Howard Carter held up a candle inside an Egyptian tomb in 1922, he had no idea the discovery he was about to make would send shockwaves of enthusiasm throughout the world.

But when light glinted off a horde of golden objects, he realized his discovery was like no other…

Not only was the unveiling of King Tutankhamun’s burial tomb the greatest archaeological discovery in history, but it revived a fascination for Egyptian culture, dubbed “Egyptomania,” throughout the Western world. Frenzied excitement swept the public resulting in countless movies and novels focused on the ancient culture.

But this obsession wasn’t new. In fact, the West has been fascinated by Egypt dating back to classical times…

Why, though? What is it about Egypt that remains so compelling to Westerners?

More than anything, the West’s love affair with Egypt reveals a deep desire for the eternal…

The Western interest in Egyptian culture dates back to ancient Greece and Rome who took inspiration from Egypt’s art, religion, and philosophy.

One of the most prominent Egyptophiles was Alexander the Great. After conquering the region in 332 B.C., he had priests in Memphis declare him pharaoh, and he adopted local practices like sacrificing to Apis, a bull believed to be the incarnation of the god Ptah.

By embracing Egyptian customs, he legitimized himself in the eyes of his subjects, but his love for Egypt went beyond a mere utilitarian appreciation. While visiting the Oracle of Amon in the Siwa Oasis, he was declared “son of Zeus Amon,” establishing a divine lineage. And later, he expressed a desire to be buried in the same location he was declared a god.

Not just conquerors, but philosophers also appreciated Egyptian culture. Thinkers like Plato and Aristotle viewed Egypt as a model civilization.

In the dialogue Phaedrus, Plato credits Egypt with originating mathematics, astronomy, and written language, repeating a legend about the Egyptian god Theuth:

“I heard, then, that at Naucratis, in Egypt, was one of the ancient gods of that country…and the name of the god himself was Theuth. He it was who invented numbers and arithmetic and geometry and astronomy, also draughts and dice, and, most important of all, letters.”

Plato’s student Aristotle named Egypt as the original land of wisdom, and in Politics noted the country’s long-established institutions, writing, “Egyptians…have always had laws and a political system."

As ancient Greece appreciated Egypt’s law and philosophy, Rome prized their massive monuments — Rome transplanted Egyptian obelisks and sculptures to decorate their cities. For example, the Lateranense and Vaticano obelisks — brought by Roman emperors — are among 13 such structures that now ornament the Eternal City.

Romans took to Egyptian religion, too, adopting the Cult of Isis in the 1st century B.C. among other mystery cults fashionable at the time. For the Greeks Egypt was the origin of civilization itself, while to the Romans it was a land of mystique and wonder.

Egypt is discussed much less frequently during the medieval era, likely due to the region being dominated by Islamic Caliphates largely hostile to the West. But the Renaissance and modern periods saw a renewed interest in the region.

Instead of Roman emperors, Popes now continued the tradition of erecting ancient obelisks in the city, and famous artists like Bernini designed new versions of Egyptian monuments: pyramid tombs and sculptures featuring obelisks.

Much of Egyptian culture still remained a mystery, though, since hieroglyphs could not be deciphered. But this all changed when an emperor’s ambition set in motion a discovery that unlocked everything…

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Best regards,

Mina Shohdy