Egyptomania in the United States

Egyptomania refers to a period of renewed interest in the culture of ancient Egypt sparked by Napoleon's Egyptian Campaign in the 19th century. Napoleon was accompanied by many scientists and scholars during this campaign, which led to a large interest in the documentation of ancient monuments in Egypt. Thorough documentation of ancient ruins led to an increase in the interest about ancient Egypt. In 1822, Jean-François Champollion deciphered the ancient hieroglyphs by using the Rosetta Stone that was recovered by French troops in 1799, and hence began the scientific study of egyptology. The fascination with ancient Egypt was manifested through literature, architecture, art, film, politics and religion. Very few people could afford a trip to Egypt during the peak of Egyptomania and only made contact with Egyptian culture through literature, art, and architecture. Particularly influential were Vivant Denon's Voyage dans la Basse et la Haute Égypte, the Institute of Egypt's Description de l'Égypte, and Verdi's Aida. In the French Empire style, Egyptian imagery and ornament was very widely used in the decorative arts, such as porcelain services, furniture, and later commercial kitsch and advertising. Parties and public events were held that had Egypt as a theme, where people wore special costumes. Egyptian Revival architecture lasted throughout the 19th century and into the 20th. The discovery of the Tomb of Tutankhamun considerably revived interest. Ancient Egypt in the Western imagination American literature, visual art and architecture absorbed what was becoming general knowledge about ancient Egyptian culture, making use of this knowledge in the contemporary debate about national identity, race, and slavery. Elements of Egyptian culture became particularly symbolically charged. The mummy, for example, represented the fascination of the Americans with the living dead and reanimation. This went so far that 'mummy unwrapping parties' were organized.