D’JAKONOV, Mihail Mihajlovič. St.Petersburg 13.(26.)6.1907 — Moscow 8.6.1954. Russian Historian of the Ancient World. Son of M. A. D’jakonov, an official and author. From 1921 grew up in Norway. Studies in Oslo (1924-26) and Leningrad, graduated 1930. Kand. ist. nauk 1937, Dr. ist. nauk 1946. In 1930-31 naučnyj sotrudnik at…
DEWHURST, Robert Paget. Clitheroe, Lancashire 21.7.1869 — 27.12.1935. British Civil Servant and Indologist in India. Son of James Dewhurst and Frances Elizabeth Paget. Educated at Clitheroe Grammar School, studies from 1888 at Oxford (Balliol College, M.A.). In 1892 joined the I.C.S., served in North India. Back in Britain (1904?), he…
DE VINCENTIS, Gherardo. 1845 — 19??. Italian Iranian (Persian) Scholar, also interested in Sanskrit. Professor of Persian at Regio Istituto Orientale di Napoli: incaricato 1878, eo. 1890, ord. 1904-07. Died before 1935. Publications: Il Gulistan, ossia il Roseto dello Scheich Sadi di Schiraz. Prima versione italiana … con commentario critico…
DELLA VALLE, Pietro. Rome 11.4.1586 — Rome 21.4. or 11.4.1652. Italian (Roman) Traveller in Iran and India. Born in aristocratic family, son of Pompeo D. V. and Giovanna Alberini, had good education. In his youth served as a soldier, in 1611 participated in an expedition of Spanish fleet against pirates…
DELAMAINE, James. 1784? — Cape of Good Hope 1829?. British Colonial Officer. Ensign (1798), Captain (1823) and Major in Bengal Army (1827), then Lieutenant-Colonel and Political Agent at Nemaur. Served long under John Malcolm and knew Sanskrit and Persian. In 1823 the first European to visit Nasik Caves. Left India…
DARMESTETER, James. Château-Salins (Meurth, Lorraine) 28.3.1849 — Maisons-Laffitte near Paris 19.10.1894. French Iranian Scholar. Professor in Paris. Son of Calmann Darmesteter, a Jewish bookbinder, and Rosalie Brandeis, younger brother of the philologist Arsène Darmesteter (1846–1888). Educated in Paris, matriculated from Lycée Concordet in 1866. Then studied philology (lic. 1868) and…
DAMANT, Guybon Henry. Cowes, Isle of Wight 9.5.1846 — Khonoma, Nagaland 14.10.1879. British Civil Servant and Ethnologist in India (1869-79). Son of Henry James Damant (1816–1901), a lawyer, and Elizabeth Johnson Knight (1823–1906). Educated at St. Paul’s School (or Merchant Taylor’s School?) in London. Studies from 1864 at Christ’s College,…
CUST, Robert Needham. Cockayne Hatley, Bedfordshire 24.2.1821 — Campden Hill, London 28.10.1909. British Indologist. Son of Hon. and Rev. Henry Cckayne Cust (1780–1861), of a noble family (his uncle was Earl Brownlow), and Anna Maria Needham. Educated at Eton, planned first to become a lawyer and began studies at Trinity College,…
COWELL, Edward Byles. Ipswich 23.1.1826 — Cambridge 9.2.1903. British Indologist. Professor in Cambridge. In 1856-64 in India. Son of Charles Cowell (a merchant, d. 1842) and Marianne Byles. Educated in Ipswich, as a schoolboy already attracted to Sir William Jones’ Persian grammar. After the school he followed his late father…
CLAUSON, Gerard Leslie Makins. Valletta, Malta 28.4.1891 — Chelsea, London 1.5.1974 (or 1973?). Sir. British Linguist and Central Asian (especially Turkish) scholar, but began with Pāli studies. Son of major Sir John Eugene Clauson (1866–1918) and Mary Elizabeth Makins (1862–1949). Educated at Eton, studies at Corpus Christi College, Oxford (classical…