The civilization of ancient Egypt has been a source of fascination for explorers and scholars for centuries, and has occupied a special place in the imagination of the public ever since early travellers' descriptions and illustrations of the strange culture of temples, tombs and hieroglyphs began to circulate around the world. The story of Egyptology from a hobby for the educated and wealthy to a highly formalized academic discipline provides the key to understanding how and why we know what we know about ancient Egypt. This biographical dictionary tells the stories of the most important contributors and will be an indispensable reference tool for scholars and enthusiasts alike.