An Egyptologist is a scholar who specializes in Egypt’s history and culture. This person usually begins his or her career training developing a strong interest in Egypt and its history; he or she will need to complete a high school education before continuing on to earn higher education degrees from a college or university that specializes in such studies. Many people who study Egyptology go on to earn a PhD in the field so that they can work in it. In addition, it is likely that the individual will conduct extensive research or practical studies in Egypt.
An Egyptologist is sometimes referred to as a philologist, or someone who studies the nature and language of historical documents and resources, but in other cases, the person is referred to as an archaeologist. The type of research a researcher is doing in relation to Egypt’s history will often determine which category he or she falls into. Egyptologists will examine a variety of sources in order to determine the most accurate historical events and significant cultural developments, and they will frequently publish their findings for use academics or a wider audience.
Egyptology is not a new field of study; in ancient Egyptian societies, one or more Egyptologists would work under the supervision of a king or other ruler. Because Egypt’s history is so long, studying the culture’s past is a time-honored tradition. Throughout the centuries, other cultures, such as the Greeks and Romans, began to study Egypt, and an Egyptologist did not necessarily have to be Egyptian to study Egyptology. Egyptologists are likely to have a broad understanding of language theory and development, not just in terms of the Egyptian language. Scientific studies make up a significant portion of the curriculum that students must complete during their college or university careers.
Westerners are relative newcomers to the field of Egyptology, though even Western academics have a long history in the discipline. Pseudoegyptology is the study of theories that ancient Egyptian cultures may have derived from extraterrestrial origins, and it is likely to be derided a true Egyptologist. Basic scientific concepts are frequently missing from theories in this field, and not all of the information used to develop theories is based on concrete or proven facts. It is not generally regarded as a legitimate form of Egyptology.