Ancient Egypt has always been mysterious and incomprehensible to the mentality of Western civilization. One important reason for this is the long time span between the collapse of the Egyptian civilization and the beginning of the development of the first civilization on European soil. Although the Egyptian state formally lasted until Cleopatra’s death in 30 BC, its authentic culture began to decline after the end of the New Kingdom, around 1085 BC. Even the name “Egypt” is not original, but comes from the Greek word Aigyptos, meaning “Unknown”, “Hidden place”. The name by which its inhabitants called it was Khum, Kemu or Kem, and it meant “Red”, “Enflamed”, “Fiery”. There are different theories about the original name of Egypt, but all traditions and records of the Egyptians themselves point to an even greater puzzle – their Atlantean origin and a history spanning tens of thousands of years. The ancient Greeks were unable to fully understand Egypt, despite the fact that many of their learned men, such as Solon and Plato, visited and learned from the then already rare initiates. Priests were visiting Egypt, and they revealed astonishing data about their history and culture. During the time of Rome, Egypt was one of the associated kingdoms and it represented the granary of the empire, not only physically but also spiritually, especially in the city of Alexandria where the famous library was located. With the fall of the Roman Empire, Egypt also fell into oblivion during the early Middle Ages. It was not until the late 18th century, with the arrival of Napoleon and more than two hundred scientists, that the rediscovery of Egypt began. The Great Sphinx in Giza was excavated, the zodiac from Dendera was preserved from destruction, and the Rosetta Stone was found, which Champollion later deciphered hieroglyphics from. However, in the 19th century, positivists provided their version of the entire Egyptian history, which was based only on certain characteristics of the period after the collapse of the New Kingdom. This was as inappropriate as denying the beauty of Nefertiti by describing her desiccated mummy. They forced Egypt into the “dunce corner” of their new historical narrative, attributing cruel slavery to it. Ownership arrangement, belief in animals, mummification for the purpose of preserving the body after death… Despite knowing for decades that these pieces of information are not true, unfortunately, they are still circulating in the media and can be found in textbooks. Millions of children around the world are being “exactly” implanted with images of thin slaves pulling stone blocks weighing hundreds of tons on soft palm trunks, through desert sand, with thin ropes. Then they are taught the basic laws of physics and the superiority of our civilization compared to a primitive and inhumane past. Egyptologists from all over the world are constantly digging up something, and millions of tourists visit temples, pyramids, tombs… But where are the imperial courts, castles, summer residences, and fortresses of the “cruel” pharaohs? If thousands of people were forced to dig tombs hundreds of meters into solid rock with whips, and to build pyramids that today’s technology is unable to construct – why haven’t impressive remains of the buildings in which these rulers enjoyed been found anywhere? In Egypt, there is no trace of these grand structures. In Egypt, we primarily encounter sacral buildings and highly crafted objects that are characterized by precision and beauty. We can see that this ancient civilization attributed much greater importance to eternal rather than transient values of everyday life. Therefore, we cannot describe it as a primitive form of European past or attribute undesirable characteristics of our civilization to it. It was simply different, significantly more spiritual, and that is why it remains largely incomprehensible to us. Egyptian collections hold a special place in all major archaeological museums around the world. Visitors usually explore them in silence, as tour guides have very little to say about these exhibits. These silent remains of Egypt, like the Sphinx, guard their hidden meaning and patiently await the arrival of a 21st-century human who will once again attempt to unveil their secrets.
