Subtitled `Orientalism and Egyptomania in Czech lands', this study looks at Egyptian revival in the second half of the 19th century within Czech society. Asking who these Egyptomaniacs were and why they chose Egypt, Hana Navrátilová looks at the historical and cultural background of the period, arguing that Egyptian revivalism was important for both Czech cultural development and the formation of national identity. Greater accessibility to the ancient Orient through study and travel meant that Egypt became the focus for people's desire for knowledge and escapism.