After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal The Victorian's Dark Obsession with Ancient Egypt
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Jan 19, 2026 Dr. Jay Sullivan, a historian and author specializing in Egyptian Gothic, dives into the Victorian obsession with Ancient Egypt. He explores peculiar mummy unwrapping parties and the darker implications behind them. The conversation touches on the rise of Egyptomania influenced by Napoleon, the Rosetta Stone's impact, and the fusion of imperial pride with magical mystique. Jay also examines eroticized mummy narratives and how these stories reflect colonial fears and fantasies. It's a captivating journey through a bizarre chapter of history!
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Roots Of Victorian Egyptomania
- Victorian Egyptomania grew from earlier Georgian and Napoleonic-era interest rather than beginning with Queen Victoria's reign.
- Napoleon's campaign and subsequent publications turned Egypt into a major subject of travelogues, art, and public fascination.
Reading Hieroglyphs Made Egypt Intimate
- The Rosetta Stone's decipherment (via Napoleonic finds) made hieroglyphs readable and created emotional closeness to ancient Egyptians.
- Being able to read everyday texts transformed Egypt from decorative exoticism into a relatable past.
Egypt As Imperial Mirror
- Victorians used ancient empires as mirror and validation for British imperial identity at events like the Great Exhibition.
- Egyptian exhibits provided overwhelming sensory spectacle that reinforced ideas of grandeur and continuity with past empires.
