Synopses & Reviews
The urge of 19th-century travelers to write down and record their experiences of Egypt has provided material of great interest and value. This large and varied collection of accounts will appeal not only to the specialist investigating the European rediscovery of ancient Egypt but also the general reader concerned with Western perceptions of the Orient. Its themes range from the contribution made to Egyptology by early travelers and the study of Egyptian society and its artistic, architectural, and literary heritage to the history and culture of European travel in the Middle East.
Travellers in Egypt concludes with an examination of European influences on Egypt and a reminder that travel across the Mediterranean in the 19th century was not all from West to East.
Review
“Some of the contributions to
Travellers in Egypt raise profound issues about perception, misperception and cultural misappropriation, others are merely accounts of what genteel and mildly adventurous folk did on their holidays in Egypt.” —
Times Literary Supplement“A treasure-trove of writings about the contributions to Egyptology made by European travellers from the 17th to the 19th centuries.” —Book Shelf
About the Author
Paul Starkey and
Janet Starkey are specialists in Middle East history and literature at Durham University.