Encounter of the East and West - Essay Example

The three years spent by the French team in Egypt had great influence on the west and specifically Europe at that time. The invasion of the outsiders to Egypt has formed a benchmark onto which the east and west convened and exchanged different aspects. The western culture diversified because of the Egyptian influence. The Egyptian ancient society fade away with time as the encounter between east and west persisted over time. Ancient Egypt civilization as described by the napoleon team was rich in artefacts that triggered great interest to the west.

These included the famous Egyptian pyramids, temples, and representations of pharaohs and gods. The sphinx of Giza is one of the statues that have amazed the world because of its age and meaning. The sphinx is a monument that bears the head of a human and the body of a lion. The great monument standing on the Egyptian desert is currently in ruins because of the persistent wind, sand of the desert and rainfall. The sphinx lies amidst Egyptian pyramids in Giza and the meaning that Egyptians have attached to the monument over time is perplexing.

Time has redefined the meaning and representation repeatedly. The sphinx stands as a clear illustration of the dynasties existing in the previous civilizations before European intervention. Speculations from the old times indicate that the human face was in honour of one of the pharaohs. The sculpture probably dates back to the fourth dynasty and the face represented belonged to pharaoh Khafre. The monument dimensions are 238 feet in length and 65 feet in height. The origins of the bedrock making the sculpture re not very clear.

The lion body depicts the royalty awarded to the dynasty by the people. Ancient Egypt was rich in style and this is the reason why the pyramids of the old times have persisted in world history. The ancient Egyptian civilization greatly influenced the succeeding new kingdom of the modern history. The great sphinx receives respect and honour from the people. For some people, it represented the pharaoh who instructed its building. Others believe that the pharaoh Khafre’s father instructed its building (Bayly, 2004:75).

The monument has both political and religious value for some people. While some regard the essence of the sphinx as an important aspect reflecting the fourth dynasty, others associate it with the Egyptian gods. ‘The dream stela’ in the middle of the paws of the sphinx that has inscriptions on it tells the story of prince Thutmosis who slept in the middle of the paws and had a dream in which the gods spoke to him. After this, some Egyptologists claim that the monument had transformed from a king icon to a god icon.

The sphinx holds a lot of mystery concerning origin, purpose and disproportion of the monument. Question two Mehmet Ali is a name familiar in Egyptian history because he established a new Egypt after the French troop led by Napoleon left (Darwin, 2007:66). Egypt was an agricultural country during napoleon’s rule. Mehmet was formally a member of the ottoman army and was an Albanian. He moved to Egypt after the departure of napoleon and was ready to transform the empire. He moved to Egypt under the instruction of his uncle the governor.

Having grown up in the uncle’s family, he had received responsibilities that presented him with an opportunity to develop great leadership and political skills. In 1801, his mission in Egypt was