RASK, Rasmus Kristian (bapt. Rasmus Christian Rasch). Brændekilde near Odense 22.11.1787 — Copenhagen 14.11.1832. Danish Linguist and Traveller, also interested in Sanskrit and Old Iranian. Professor in Copenhagen. Son of Niels Hansen Rasch (1749–1810), a smallholder and tailor, and Birthe Rasmusdatter (d. 1801). Educated at home and in Odense, became…
TYCHSEN, Oluf (Olaf) Gerhard. Tondern, Schleswig (now Tønder in Danish Slesvig) 14.12.1734 (not 1735) — Rostock 30.12.1815. German Oriental Scholar. Son of a Norwegian father, Jern Tuka(son), himself took later the name Tychsen. Educated in Tondern and Altona, Oriental studies at Jena and soon at Halle. For a while teacher at Waisenhaus…
TOLMAN, Herbert Cushing. South Scituate (others Norwell, co. Plymouth), MA 4.11.1865 — Nashville, TN 24.11.1923. U.S. Philologist, specialized in Greek and Old Persian. Professor in Nashville. Son of James T., a tack manufacturer, and Mary T. Briggs. Graduated 1884 from Rockland High School. Studies at Yale (A.B. 1888). Ph.D. 1890…
THOMPSON, Reginald Campbell. Kensington (London) 21.5.1876 — London 23.5.1941. British Archaeologist and Assyriologist. Son of Dr. Reginald Edward Thompson and Anne Isabella De Morgan, educated in London. Studies of Semitic languages at Cambridge (Caius College). From 1904 in British Museum as Assistant to —> L. W. King, accompanied him to…
TEGNÉR, Esaias Henrik Vilhelm. Källstorp, Malmöhus län 13.1.1843 — Lund 21.11.1928. Swedish Oriental Scholar and Linguist. Professor in Lund. Son of a minister, Kristoffer Tegnér, and Emma Sofia Kinberg, grandson of the poet Esaias Tegnér (1782–1843). Matriculated from Lund in 1859 and began studies at local university. M.A. 1865 Lund.…
OPPERT, Jules (Julius O.). Hamburg 9.7.1825 — Paris 20/21.8.1905. German Assyriologist in France (naturalised 1854), originally also interested in Sanskrit. Professor in Paris. Son of Eduard Oppert (until 1812 Oppenheimer, 1792–1874) and Henriette Gans (1800–1875), brother of —> Gustav Oppert (1836–1908) and ErnstJacob Oppert (1832–1903, merchant in Shanghai). Educated at…
OLMSTEAD, Albert Ten Eyck. Troy, NY 23.3.1880 — Chicago 11.4.1945. U.S. Oriental Scholar (Assyriologist and Historian). Professor in Chicago. Son of Charles Olmstead and Ella Blanchard. Studies at Cornell University (A.B. 1902, A.M. 1903, Ph.D. 1906). In 1904-05 Fellow in American School of Oriental Research in Jerusalem, 1906-07 in American…
NORRIS, Edwin. Taunton, Somerset 24.10.1795 — Brompton, London 10.12.1872. British Oriental and Celtic Scholar. Son of a printer. Educated by his uncle Henry Norris, himself uncle of —> J. Dowson. As young he spent six years in France and Italy as tutor in an English family and, in addition to…
NIEBUHR, Carsten. Lüdingworth near Cuxhaven 17.3.1733 — Meldorf, Holstein 26.4.1815. German Traveller, Geographer and Engineer in Danish Service. Son of Barthold Niebuhr (1704–1749), a free farmer, and Caecilie von Duhn (1706–1733). Father’s death interrupted school, but he studied privately mathematics, surveying, and Arabic, then at Göttingen. Selected by J. D.…
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…