ancient civilization. They were regarded as the repository of the genius (ge ́nie)
of each people (Gran-Aymerich 1998: 36).
In the name of reason, early nationalism also sought to rationalize the
machinery of the state. Growth in the importance of the ancient Great
Civilizations to the framework of the modern state led to the institutional-
ization of archaeology. Private collections were purchased by the state with a
didactic purpose. This is how the British Museum was formed in 1753 and
expanded subsequently, although references to its value for the British nation
would not appear until later, perhaps not until the 1820s (Miller 1973: 124).
In France, despite the failure to create a speciWc museum of antiquities, many
of these collections were housed in the Louvre, the institution embodying the
principles of Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity with the aim of educating
the citizens (McClelland 1994: 9). It was here that Egyptian archaeology
wasWrst taught; being later continued in the Colle`ge de France. The institu-
tionalization of this period, however, suVered from discontinuities which
were only overcome in the second half of the nineteenth century when
liberal ideas took root. This is also another reason why the early years of
nationalism represented only a transitional period in the professionalization
of archaeology.
78 Early Archaeology of Great Civilizations