Ancient Egypt has been a focus of awe and fascination from its beginnings in the Age of the Pyramids to the present day. In Egyptomania Ronald H. Fritze takes us on a historical journey to unearth the Egypt of the imagination, a land of strange gods, murky magic, secret knowledge, marvellous pyramids, enigmatic sphinxes, monumental obelisks, immense wealth and mysterious mummies.
Egypt has always exerted a powerful attraction in popular and high culture, and an array of personalities have been attracted and repelled to the idea of Egypt. Medieval Christians considered Egypt a land with many connections to the Bible while medieval Muslims were intrigued by its massive monuments, esoteric learning and hidden treasures. Scholars of the Renaissance, the Baroque, and the Enlightenment pondered the mysteries of hieroglyphs and Hermes Trismegistus. Even the practical-minded Napoleon dreamed of Egyptian glory and helped open the antique land to the West. Fritze goes beyond the examination of Egyptomania in art and architecture to reveal its impact on religion, philosophy, historical study, literature, travel, science and popular culture. All those who are still captivated by Egyptomania will revel in the mysteries uncovered in this book.