9. Egyptomania

‘Egyptomania’ highlights the phenomenon of Egyptomania. In this recycling and exploitation of the ancient Egyptian database, some aspects of the culture and history have tended to appeal more to different ages or audiences. One of the most obvious topics of fierce interpretative debate over the years has been the question of why the pyramids took the form that they did, and what this suggests about the purpose that they served. This ‘pyramidology’ is virtually a subject in its own right. It is important to reflect on the sculpting and deconstruction of the images of Akhenaten, Nefertiti, and Cleopatra and consider the rise of the ‘alternative’ Egyptologist.