The scientific study of the history
and culture of Ancient Egypt, beginning with the very first signs of the
Ancient Egyptian civilisation from around 3000 BC, and ending with the close of
the last Egyptian temple between 535 and 537 AD. The most important tool for
this study is the knowledge of one or more of the Egyptian languages and
writing systems.
A person versed in Egyptology, an
Egyptologist, can participate in or even head archaeological digs in Egypt, but
unless he also had some training as an archaeologist, he will normally not be
the person doing the actual digging. An archaeologist may be specialised in
Egyptian archaeology, but he can apply his skills in many other countries and
for many other cultures as well.
The scientific studie of Ancient Egypt,
also known as Egyptology, started when Frenchman Jean-Franзois Champollion succeeded in
decyphering the hieroglyphic signs and provided an Ancient Egyptian grammar.