SALT, Henry. Lichfield, Staffordshire 14.6.1780 — Desouk 80 km east of Alexandria, Egypt 30.10.1827. British Diplomat, Traveller, Collector of Antiquities and Pioneer of Egyptology. Son of physician Thomas Salt and Alice Butt, educated in Lichfield, Market Bosworth and Birmingham. Trained as portrait-painter and went to London in 1797, but soon abandoned the career as an artist. In 1802-06 accompanied Georg Annesley, Viscount Valencia, on a long tour to India, Ceylon, Ethiopia and Egypt. In 1809-11 on diplomatic mission to Ethiopia, 1815 nominated Consul-General in Egypt. Conducted and financed excavations and collected antiquities for British Museum (and for his own collection).
Publications: “Account of the caves in Salsette”, TrLitSocBombay 1, 1819, 41-52.
– Voyage to Abyssinia and Travels into the Interior of that country. 12+454 p. L. 1814, German tr. 1815; book about hieroglyphs, 1825; illustrated Lord Annesley’s travel book by drawings.
Sources: Dawson & Uphill, Who Was Who in Egyptology. Rev. 2nd ed. L. 1972; *J. Halls, Life and Correspondence of H.S. L. 1834; *D. Manlee & P. Rée, H.S.: Artist, Traveller, Diplomat, Egyptologist. L. 2001; *D. Manlee, Oxford D.N.B.; W.W[roth], D.N.B. 50, 212f.; Wikipedia with portrait.
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