author
Giovanni Battista Belzoni
1778–1823
An Italian adventurer, engineer, and showman who became one of the most famous early explorers of ancient Egypt, he lived a life that feels almost too dramatic to be true. His journeys led to major discoveries, but they also show how complicated the early history of archaeology could be.
1 Audiobook
About the author
Born in Padua on November 5, 1778, Giovanni Battista Belzoni first planned a religious life before political upheaval changed his path. He later moved to England, where his unusual height and strength helped him earn a living as a performer and exhibitor of mechanical inventions.
In 1815 he traveled to Egypt, and over the next few years he became a striking figure in the early exploration of Egyptian antiquities. He is remembered for helping move the massive bust of Ramesses II known as the "Younger Memnon," clearing the entrance to the great temple at Abu Simbel, entering the pyramid of Khafre, and discovering the tomb of Seti I in the Valley of the Kings. He published an account of his travels and discoveries that helped shape European fascination with ancient Egypt.
Belzoni died on December 3, 1823, at Gwato in present-day Nigeria while on another journey in West Africa. Today he is often described as a pioneer of Egyptology, though his legacy is mixed: his energy and eye for discovery were remarkable, but his methods belonged to an early era of excavation that was far less careful than modern archaeology.