SHAW, Robert Barkley. Upper Clapton, London 12.7.1839 — Mandalay, Burma 15.6.1879. British Traveller in Central Asia, then Civil Servant in Burma. Son of Robert Grant Shaw and Martha Barkley. “Educated at Marlborough and Trinity College, Cambridge, became a tea-planter in Kangra. Travelled in 1868 as a merchant to Eastern Turkestan,…
WOLFF, Joseph. Weilersbach near Bamberg 1795 — Isle Brewers, Somerset 2.5.1862. Rev. German Priest, Oriental Scholar and Traveller in Central Asia. Born in a Jewish family, his father David Wolff was a rabbi, his mother was Sarah. Educated in Stuttgart and Bamberg. After conversion to Catholic Christianity near Prague in…
WILLIAM OF RUBRUCK (Guglielmus de Rubruquis, Guillaume de Rubrouck, Willem van Ruysbroeck, Risbroucke). 1215/20 — after 1255. Flemish Traveller, a Franciscan Monk. Probably born in Rubrouck in French Flanders. In 1248 participated in the 7th Crusade. Head of the embassy sent by Louis IX of France to the Mongol Khan…
WARNER, Langdon. Cambridge, Mass. 1.8.1881 — ibid. 9.6.1955. U.S. Art Historian and Central Asian Explorer. Son of advocate Joseph Bangs Warner (1848–1923) and Margret Woodbury Storer. Educated at Harvard College (A.B. 1903). Participated in Pumpelly–Carnegie Expedition to Trans-Caspia in 1904-05. In 1906-13 Assistant Curator of Oriental Art in Museum of…
WALDSCHMIDT, Ernst Heinrich Franz. Lünen, Westfalen 15.7.1897 — Göttingen 25.2.1985. German Indologist and Buddhist Scholar. Professor in Göttingen. Son of Ernst Waldschmidt, a bookbinder and merchant, and Elise Goormann, the father died two months before his birth. Grew up with his mother and her parents in Lünen near Dortmund. Matriculated…
ROWLAND, Benjamin, Jr. Overbrook near Philadelphia 2.12.1904 — Cambridge Mass. 3.10.1972. U.S. Art Historian. Professor in Cambridge, Mass. Educated at St.Paul’s School in Concord, N.H., studies at Harvard (S.B. 1928, M.A. 1929). Ph.D. 1930 Harvard. Then teaching at Harvard: 1930-41 Instructor and Tutor, 1941-50 Associate Professor and 1950-72 Professor (Gleason…
ROSS, Edward Denison. London 6.6.1871 — Istanbul 23.9.1940. Sir. British Oriental (Persian) Scholar in India. Professor in London. Son of Rev. Alexander J. Ross, D.D., the vicar of St.Philip’s in Stepney, educated in Marlborough, studies at University College, London. Further studies of Arabic and Persian in Paris (under Scheferand Renan)…
REUTER, Julio Natanael. Turku 7.1.1863 — Helsinki 9.1.1934. Finnish Indologist. Professor in Helsinki. Son of the school director Edvin Titus Feodor Reuter (1824–1899) and Aline Procopé (1828–1916), brother of the biologists (entomologists) Odo Morannal Reuter (1850–1913) and Enzio Rafael Reuter (1867–1951). After matriculation in 1880 from Åbo Svenska Klassiska Lyceet…
TOL’STOV, Sergej Pavlovič. St.Petersburg 12.(25.)1.1907 — Moscow 28.12.1976. Russian Archaeologist and Central Asian (Turkmenian) Scholar. Son of an officer, Pavel Sergeevič Tol’stov (1878–1916) and Maria Ivanovna Badaeva (1881–1924). Graduated 1930 from Moscow University, in history. Dr. ist. nauk & Professor 1943. In 1926-29 naučnyj sotrudnik in Moscow Museum and 1929-36…
THOMAS, Frederick William. Wilnecote, Tamworth, Staffordshire 21.3.1867 — Branburg, Oxfordshire 6.5.1956. British Indologist. Professor in Oxford. Son of coal mine clerk Frederick Thomas (1834–1890) and Frances Blayney, educated at King Edward’s School in Birmigham. Studied at Cambridge classics and Indology (under Cowell), graduated B.A. 1885. From 1892 Fellow of Trinity…