The true story of a legendary vessel

The development of Egyptology
[1820-1860]

From the 1830's onward, in the center of England, Baptist cabinetmakers fought against the great plague of the period: alcoholism. Thomas Cook had the idea in order to take the common workers out of the pubs and low dives where they spent their Sundays; one must use a totally new invention- the railroad. Sunday excursions were a real success, developed by Mr. Cook. Little by little, he developed a network, adding steamboats to the railroad passages, and then enlarging his work field to Europe, primarily Switzerland and the Côte d'Azur. Cook created a directory of railroads, he produced a tour books, and in general, he invented modern day tourism.
One of the most famous products Cook invented was The Great Tour, which led the British through all the most picturesque regions of Europe: Switzerland, France, Italy, and Greece. Certainly, this brings us far from the first years of Cook's voyages for the perils of the proletariat and we are now positioned on the market for high-end tourism. In 1860, Thomas Cook associated his son, John Mason, into his company proclaiming it "Thomas Cook and Son". John's vision of tourism was much more vast than that of his father's. Under his influence, the firm would take on a global dimension. John Mason Cook had his eye on Egypt: The English had arrived and there were a number of rich tourists options to be had.
The décor was planted : a millennium country, fashionable, a rudimentary interior structure, and potential customers. The scene would play itself.

Vivant-Denon had successors, most of whom were French. In 1822, Champollion succeeded in deciphering hieroglyphics. His first voyage to Egypt would be in 1828, because he was ecstatic to show off the efficiency of his method. But all intellectuals are not angels. The Italian Consul Drovetti organized a pillage of the most beautiful sites. There was a real Egyptian Antique market underway, supported by the most important museums in Europe. The economic boom worsened things. In order to build, they burnt the temple's stones in the limekiln. The method was pretty simple: if sculpted it went to Europe, if it was non-sculpted it went in the oven.

In 1850, a small French librarian disembarked for Alexandria. Auguste Mariette, crazy about archaeology, would be the creator of the Egyptian Antiquities Department. Mariette is more pro-Egyptian than the Egyptians themselves. He decreed severe rules. He gave authority to search and to punish pillagers of tombs. His credo was simple: The patrimony of Egypt must stay in Egypt. He had lots of work to do. For example: A less Englishman dignified went so far as to intoxicate the monks of a Coptic Convent so he could pillage the library of all of it's manuscripts, while the religious men were sleeping off their whiskey.

In 1858, Mariette received the title of Director of Archaeology, the distinction of pasha among other powers, and he was also given a small militia to help him keep these powers and for them to be respected. Mariette created the first Archaeology Museum of Cairo at Bulak, foreshadowing the actual museum whose pedimont pays homage to his work.

Mariette started up a new politic of clearing and restoring the greatest sites: Karnack, Luxor, Philae, and Abu Simbel. Under their construction maps were drawn, elements taken out, and the reconstruction of the splendors of the past were renewed.