Napoleon - Birth of Egyptology

22 August 1798, Napoleon created the Institute of Egypt. While he was sent there on a military expedition, Napoleon saw the opportunity to study all about Egypt and brought with him over 150 scientists.

No military mission had ever been coupled with a scientific enterprise of that magnitude. Artists drew sketches of everything they saw. Scientists studied the architecture ; land ; fauna ; flora and of course the locals and their beliefs and customs...

The result was the beginning of Egyptology! That was precisely when the Rosetta stone was discovered... To later be taken by the British navy and brought to England... But as justice would have it, it is Champollion, a French scientist who would decipher hyeroglyphics... Hence the gift of Egypt to France on Place de la Concorde. Vive la France! Vive Napoléon!