Many believe that Egyptomania began with Howard Carter's discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922. Although this event had a profound impact on the world's fascination with Ancient Egypt, it was by no means the beginning.
Ancient Egyptian civilization spanned more than 3,000 years. Even rulers such as Cleopatra looked back to the achievements of their forebears, studying and celebrating the beauty and aesthetics of Egypt's ancient past.
For the Western world, figures such as Napoleon brought war to the deserts of Egypt, returning home not only with stories but also with ancient artefacts. In the Victorian era, the opening of the Suez Canal encouraged greater travel and exploration, attracting Grand Tour travellers who were often all too willing to take archaeological artefacts as souvenirs. Those who did not remove antiquities found inspiration instead, creating art, fashion, sculpture, architecture, music, and jewellery influenced by Egypt's rich cultural heritage.
Ancient gods and goddesses were reimagined, Egyptian flora and fauna inspired dazzling decorative patterns, the once-lost language of hieroglyphs was deciphered, and jewels once worn by the pharaohs themselves were reinterpreted in spectacular new designs.