LUZZATO, Philosenno (Philosseno, Philoxène). Padova 10.7.1829 — Padova 25.1.1854. Italian/Austrian (Jewish) Oriental Scholar. Son of the famous Jewish scholar Samuel David L. (1800–1865). As child he learned Hebrew from his father and in the age of 15 made an attempt at deciphering the Cuneiform writing. He read Akkadian Cuneiform as Sanskrit! Further Sanskrit influence he thought he could find among Egyptian Scythians (!?). Another interest of the young scholar was the Falasha language of Ethiopian Jews; in 1852 he visited Paris in order to find material about them. He studied Jewish history, too, and was a member of Padua Academy and D.M.G.
Publications: Le sanscriticisme de la langue assyrienne, études préliminaires au déchiffrement des inscriptions assyriennes. 80 p. Padoue 1849; Études sur les inscriptions assyriennes de Persepolis, Hamadan, Van et Khorsabad. 21+212 Padoue 1850.
– “Dell’ Asia antica occidentale e media”, Rivista europea 1847; “Memoria sulla iscrizione cuneiforme persiana di Behistun”, Giornale dell’ Istit. Lombardo 1, 1848, 24 p.; “Sur l’existence d’un dieu assyrien nommé Semiramis, identique à Mithra”, JA 4:17, 1851, 465-480.
– Articles about Falasha in Archives israelites de France 1851-53.
– “Notice sur quelques inscriptions hébraïques du XIII siècle”, Mém. de la Soc. des Antiquaires de France 22, 1852; “Notice sur Abou Jousouf Hasdaï Ibn Schaprout”, 1852ff. (about Spanish Jews); article about Persian names in the Bible, Orient 18??.
Sources: Wurzbach, Biogr. Lex. Öst. 16, 1867, 177; Wikipedia with portrait.
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