Famous Egyptologists and their discoveries

Tutankhamun treasures
Source: https://pixabay.com/photos/burial-chamber-egypt-pharaoh-522525/

If you love ancient history, then you have probably heard of Egyptologists like Howard Carter and Jean-Francois Champollion.

 

These are some of the most famous archaeologists who have ever lived. But what do we really know about them? 

 

In this article, we will take a closer look at the lives and work of some of the most famous Egyptologists.

 

We will also discuss their greatest discoveries and how they changed our understanding of ancient Egypt.

What is Egyptology?

Egyptology is the study of ancient Egypt. This can include everything from the history and culture of ancient Egyptians to the language and hieroglyphs that they used.

 

Many people become interested in Egyptology after visiting Egypt or seeing Egyptian artifacts in a museum. 

 

Egyptologists use many different methods to learn about ancient Egypt. They often study ancient texts and inscriptions, as well as artifacts like sculptures and pottery.

 

They also use modern scientific techniques, such as carbon dating, to date objects and determine their age. 

Ancient Egyptian mummy
Source: https://pixabay.com/photos/history-egypt-sarcofaag-pyramid-1901078/

Giovanni Belzoni (1778-1823)

Giovanni Belzoni was an Italian adventurer and Egyptologist. In his early life, Belzoni was a circus performer and a travelling salesman for almost a decade.

 

He was much taller than average for his day and stood at around 6ft 7in (just over 2 metres). Belzoni travelled through Britain, giving shows as a 'strongman', under the stage names of 'The Patagonian Sampson’ and ‘The Great Belzoni'.

 

In 1815, while in Malta, Belzoni met an agent of Muhammad ali Pasha, the ruler of Egypt, who encouraged the Italian to work in hydraulics in Egypt.

 

Unfortunately, this career change proved unsuccessful, but while in Egypt, Belzoni met the British consul-general, Henry Salt.

 

Under the influence of Salt, Belzoni became interested in ancient Egypt after seeing some Egyptian artifacts in a museum. 

 

Belzoni was not formally trained in archaeology, but he had some experience as an engineer.

 

This allowed him to develop new methods for moving and lifting heavy objects. 

With Henry Salt, Belzoni successfully removed the colossal statue of Ramses II (called the 'Statue of the Younger Memnon') from Egypt to the British Museum in London, where it remains to this day.

 

Then, he discovered the entrance to the ancient temple of Abu Simbel in the south of Egypt.

 

Belzoni's archaeological methods were not very gentle, however. In his haste to remove objects from tombs, he often damaged them.

 

He also destroyed many objects that he could not remove. At times, stomped over fragile mummies, destroyed ancient columns and tomb walls when they were in his way, sliced up precious artefacts to carry them away, and even he left his name carved into statues that he couldn't move.

 

Belzoni's greatest discovery was the tomb of Seti I, which he first entered on the 17th of October, 1817.

 

This tomb had been untouched for over 3000 years and contained many well-preserved artifacts.

 

Belzoni's work in this tomb helped to provide a better understanding of ancient Egyptian burial practices. 

Ancient Egyptian tomb
Source: https://pixabay.com/photos/tomb-egypt-ancient-brown-tomb-4300251/

Jean-Francois Champollion (1790-1832)

Jean-Francois Champollion was a French scholar who is best known for deciphering the hieroglyphs on the Rosetta Stone.

 

The Rosetta Stone is a stone tablet with inscriptions in three scripts. These scripts are Ancient Greek, Demotic script (a form of Egyptian), and hieroglyphs. 

 

Champollion was able to decipher the hieroglyphs on the Rosetta Stone by comparing them to the other two scripts.

 

He realized that many of the hieroglyphs were sound symbols, or phonograms. This meant that they represented specific sounds, rather than whole words. 

 

Once Champollion had deciphered the hieroglyphs, he began to work on translating ancient Egyptian texts.

 

He made many important discoveries about ancient Egyptian history and culture. His work helped to increase our understanding of this ancient civilization. 

Egyptian heiroglyphs
Source: https://pixabay.com/photos/hieroglyphic-writing-egyptian-3839141/

Flinders Petrie (1853-1942)

Flinders Petrie was an English Egyptologist. He was one of the first archaeologists to use scientific methods to study ancient sites.

 

He also developed new methods for dating objects based on their style of manufacture. 

 

Petrie's work was very important in changing the way that archaeologists viewed ancient cultures.

 

Before Petrie, many people believed that ancient cultures were static and unchanging.

 

Petrie's work showed that cultures could change and develop over time. 

 

Petrie also made many important discoveries during his career. These include the tomb of Queen Hatshepsut and the Great Sphinx of Giza.

 

His work at these sites helped to improve our understanding of ancient Egyptian history and culture. 

 

His most famous work was at the site of Amarna. This was the capital of ancient Egypt during the reign of Pharaoh Akhenaten.

 

Petrie excavated many important buildings at this site, including the royal palace.

 

His work at Amarna helped to shed new light on this little-known period of Egyptian history. 

Valley of the Kings
Source: https://pixabay.com/photos/valley-of-the-kings-luxor-egypt-5006271/

Howard Carter (1874-1939)

Howard Carter was an English archaeologist who is best known for his discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun in 1922.

 

Carter was born in London in 1874. When he was a young man, he moved to Egypt where he worked as an assistant to the famous archaeologist Sir William Matthew Flinders Petrie. 

 

In 1907, Carter was appointed as the chief inspector of antiquities for the Egyptian government.

 

He oversaw many excavations, but his most famous discovery came in 1922 when he found the tomb of Tutankhamun. 

 

The tomb had been hidden for more than 3000 years and it contained a wealth of artifacts and treasure.

 

The discovery made Carter famous overnight and cemented his place as one of the most famous Egyptologists of all time. 

 

Carter became famous for his careful and methodical excavations. He recorded every detail of his work and took great care to preserve the artifacts that he found.

 

The discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb was a remarkable achievement, but it was only one of many important discoveries made by Howard Carter during his career.

Golden mask of Tutankhamun
Source: https://pixabay.com/photos/gold-mask-tutankhamun-munich-3847487/

Summary

The field of Egyptology has produced many famous scholars and archaeologists, and these men and women have dedicated their lives to understanding the ancient Egyptian civilization.

 

They have made many important discoveries that have helped to increase our knowledge of this fascinating culture. 

Egyptian tomb painting
Source: https://pixabay.com/photos/mural-egypt-pharaoh-luxor-tomb-484706/

Further reading