Encyclopedia, Difference between revisions of "Henry Rawlinson" - New World

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==Work==
 
==Work==
  
Henry Rawlinson remains famous for his decipherment of ancient cuneiform. While serving in British army in Near East, he noticed the signs that were written in a strange language, unknown to him. His knowledge of modern Persian and other Oriental languages helped him to realize that the signs were written in some ancient language. Rawlinson did not know that some fifty years earlier George Grotefend, a German epigraphist, started to work on the inscription of cuneiform, but was unable to come to a solution. Rawlinson began his work on the cuneiform scripts that he found in major Persian settlements, but due to the short nature of those scripts (some were only few characters long) could not conclude anything concrete. The real breakthrough in his work happened with the discovery of the [[Behistun inscriptions]] on a cliff at Behistun, Iran. Rawlinson carried the major work between 1835 and 1839, during which he managed to copy most of the script. The script was carved in the reign of [[King Darius of Persia]] (522 B.C.E.–486 B.C.E.), and consisted of identical texts in the three official languages of the empire: Old Persian, Babylonian, and Elamite. By comparing all three texts, Rawlinson assumed that all three must have the same meaning. He was first able to translate the Persian part of the text, and then the next two languages - Babylonian and Elamite. It was later found out that cuneiform system was used in many other languages, so Rawlinson’s discovery greatly helped understand numerous other similar inscriptions.  
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Henry Rawlinson remains famous for his decipherment of ancient Persian cuneiform. While serving in British army in Near East, he noticed the signs that were written in a strange language, unknown to him. His knowledge of modern Persian and other Oriental languages helped him to realize that the signs were written in some ancient language. Rawlinson did not know that some fifty years earlier George Grotefend, a German epigraphist, started to work on the inscription of cuneiform, but was unable to come to a solution. Rawlinson began his work on the cuneiform scripts that he found in major Persian settlements, but due to the short nature of those scripts (some were only few characters long) could not conclude anything concrete. The real breakthrough in his work happened with the discovery of the [[Behistun inscriptions]] on a cliff at Behistun, Iran. Rawlinson carried the major work between 1835 and 1839, during which he managed to copy most of the script. The script was carved in the reign of [[King Darius of Persia]] (522 B.C.E.–486 B.C.E.), and consisted of identical texts in the three official languages of the empire: Old Persian, Babylonian, and Elamite. By comparing all three texts, Rawlinson assumed that all three must have the same meaning. He was first able to translate the Persian part of the text, and then the next two languages - Babylonian and Elamite. It was later found out that cuneiform system was used in many other languages, so Rawlinson’s discovery greatly helped understand numerous other similar inscriptions.  
  
 
Rawlinson’s published works include (apart from minor contributions to the publications of learned societies) four volumes of cuneiform inscriptions, published under his direction between 1870 and 1884 by the trustees of the British Museum; ''The Persian Cuneiform Inscription at Behistun'' (1846-51) and ''Outline of the History of Assyria'' (1852), both reprinted from the Asiatic Society's journals; ''A Commentary on the Cuneiform Inscriptions of Babylon and Assyria'' (1850); ''Notes on the Early History of Babylonia'' (1854); ''England and Russia in the East'' (1875). He contributed articles on Baghdad, the Euphrates and Kurdistan to the ninth edition of the [[Encyclopædia Britannica]], together with several other articles dealing with the East; and he assisted in editing a translation of ''The Histories of Herodotus'', by his brother, Canon [[George Rawlinson]].
 
Rawlinson’s published works include (apart from minor contributions to the publications of learned societies) four volumes of cuneiform inscriptions, published under his direction between 1870 and 1884 by the trustees of the British Museum; ''The Persian Cuneiform Inscription at Behistun'' (1846-51) and ''Outline of the History of Assyria'' (1852), both reprinted from the Asiatic Society's journals; ''A Commentary on the Cuneiform Inscriptions of Babylon and Assyria'' (1850); ''Notes on the Early History of Babylonia'' (1854); ''England and Russia in the East'' (1875). He contributed articles on Baghdad, the Euphrates and Kurdistan to the ninth edition of the [[Encyclopædia Britannica]], together with several other articles dealing with the East; and he assisted in editing a translation of ''The Histories of Herodotus'', by his brother, Canon [[George Rawlinson]].
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==Legacy==  
 
==Legacy==  
  
What François Champollion was to Egyptian hieroglyphics, Henry Rawlinson was to Persian cuneiform. Rawlinson’s translation of cuneiform system helped understand the ancient Babylonian and Assyrian cultures. It opened the door for numerous generations of epigraphists and archeologists who explored these two cultures to continue with new insights into once great civilizations. Later analysis of Babylonian and Assyrian languages connected them to the group of Semitic languages. Rawlinson’s work thus provided great insight of human history.
+
What [[François Champollion]] was to Egyptian [[hieroglyphics]], Henry Rawlinson was to Persian cuneiform. Rawlinson’s translation of cuneiform system helped understand the ancient Babylonian and Assyrian cultures. It opened the door for numerous generations of epigraphists and archeologists who explored these two cultures to continue with new insights into once great civilizations. Later analysis of Babylonian and Assyrian languages connected them to the group of Semitic languages. Rawlinson’s work thus provided great insight of human history.
  
 
As a politician, Rawlinson was a strong advocate of the forward policy in [[Afghanistan]], and counseled the retention of Kandahar. He was one of the most important figures arguing that Britain must check Russian ambitions in South Asia, arguing that Tsarist Russia would attack and absorb Khokand, Bokhara and Khiva (which they did) and would invade Persia (present-day Iran) and Afghanistan as springboards to British India.  
 
As a politician, Rawlinson was a strong advocate of the forward policy in [[Afghanistan]], and counseled the retention of Kandahar. He was one of the most important figures arguing that Britain must check Russian ambitions in South Asia, arguing that Tsarist Russia would attack and absorb Khokand, Bokhara and Khiva (which they did) and would invade Persia (present-day Iran) and Afghanistan as springboards to British India.  

Revision as of 00:23, 1 October 2006


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Henry Rawlinson

Sir Henry Creswicke Rawlinson (born April 11, 1810 – died March 5, 1895) was an English diplomat and orientalist, sometimes referred to as the "Father of Assyriology".

Life

Henry Rawlinson was born at Chadlington, Oxfordshire, in Great Britain. He was the second son of Abram Tyack Rawlinson, and a brother of George Rawlinson. In 1827 he started his military career, going to India as a cadet under the British East India Company. After six years with his regiment as subaltern, during which time he had become proficient in Persian language, he was sent, together with several other British officers, to Persia (today's Iran) to help reorganize the Shah's troops. It was at this time that he first became attracted to the study of inscriptions. In the course of the next two years he transcribed as much as he was able of the great cuneiform inscription at Behistun. This trilingual inscription dated to the 5th century B.C.E. and the Medes and Persian ruler Darius the Great. But the friction between the Persian court and the British government ended in the departure of the British officers.

Rawlinson was appointed political agent at Kandahar in 1840. In that capacity he served for three years, during which he served in the First Anglo-Afghan War. For these he was rewarded by the distinction of C.B. in 1844.

A fortunate chance, by which he became personally known to the governor-general, led to his being appointed, at his own desire, as political agent in Ottoman Arabia. Thus he was enabled to settle in Baghdad, where he devoted much time to the cuneiform studies which attracted him. He was now able, under considerable difficulties and with no small personal risk, to make a complete transcript of the Behistun inscription, which he was also successful in deciphering and interpreting. Having collected a large amount of invaluable information on this and kindred topics, in addition to much geographical knowledge gained in the prosecution of various explorations (including visits with Sir Austen Henry Layard to the ruins of Nineveh), he returned to England on leave of absence in 1849.

Rawlinson remained at home for two years, published in 1851 his memoir on the Behistun inscription, and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel. He disposed his valuable collection of Babylonian, Sabaean, and Sassanian antiquities to the trustees of the British Museum, who in return gave him a considerable grant to enable him to carry on the Assyrian and Babylonian excavations initiated by Layard. In 1851 he returned to Baghdad.

An accident with which he met in 1855 hastened his determination to return to England, and in that year he resigned his post in the East India Company. On his return to England the distinction of K.C.B. was conferred upon him, and he was appointed a crown director of the East India Company.

The remaining forty years of his life were full of activity - political, diplomatic, and scientific - and were mainly spent in London. In 1858 he was appointed a member of the first India Council, but resigned in 1859 on being sent to Persia as an envoy. The post he held only for a year, owing to his dissatisfaction with circumstances connected with his official position there. Previously he had sat in Parliament as M.P. for Reigate from February to September 1858; he sat again as M.P. for Frome, from 1865 to 1868. He was appointed to the Council of India again in 1868, and continued to serve upon it until his death.

He became a trustee of the British Museum, serving from 1876 till his death. He was created G.C.B. in 1889, and a Baronet in 1891. He was also president of the British Geographical Society from 1874 to 1875, and of the Asiatic Society from 1878 to 1881. He received honorary degrees at Oxford, Cambridge, and Edinburgh. He married Louisa Caroline Harcourt Seymour in September 1862, with whom he had two sons. He was widowed in 1889 and died in London six years later.

Work

Henry Rawlinson remains famous for his decipherment of ancient Persian cuneiform. While serving in British army in Near East, he noticed the signs that were written in a strange language, unknown to him. His knowledge of modern Persian and other Oriental languages helped him to realize that the signs were written in some ancient language. Rawlinson did not know that some fifty years earlier George Grotefend, a German epigraphist, started to work on the inscription of cuneiform, but was unable to come to a solution. Rawlinson began his work on the cuneiform scripts that he found in major Persian settlements, but due to the short nature of those scripts (some were only few characters long) could not conclude anything concrete. The real breakthrough in his work happened with the discovery of the Behistun inscriptions on a cliff at Behistun, Iran. Rawlinson carried the major work between 1835 and 1839, during which he managed to copy most of the script. The script was carved in the reign of King Darius of Persia (522 B.C.E.–486 B.C.E.), and consisted of identical texts in the three official languages of the empire: Old Persian, Babylonian, and Elamite. By comparing all three texts, Rawlinson assumed that all three must have the same meaning. He was first able to translate the Persian part of the text, and then the next two languages - Babylonian and Elamite. It was later found out that cuneiform system was used in many other languages, so Rawlinson’s discovery greatly helped understand numerous other similar inscriptions.

Rawlinson’s published works include (apart from minor contributions to the publications of learned societies) four volumes of cuneiform inscriptions, published under his direction between 1870 and 1884 by the trustees of the British Museum; The Persian Cuneiform Inscription at Behistun (1846-51) and Outline of the History of Assyria (1852), both reprinted from the Asiatic Society's journals; A Commentary on the Cuneiform Inscriptions of Babylon and Assyria (1850); Notes on the Early History of Babylonia (1854); England and Russia in the East (1875). He contributed articles on Baghdad, the Euphrates and Kurdistan to the ninth edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica, together with several other articles dealing with the East; and he assisted in editing a translation of The Histories of Herodotus, by his brother, Canon George Rawlinson.

Legacy

What François Champollion was to Egyptian hieroglyphics, Henry Rawlinson was to Persian cuneiform. Rawlinson’s translation of cuneiform system helped understand the ancient Babylonian and Assyrian cultures. It opened the door for numerous generations of epigraphists and archeologists who explored these two cultures to continue with new insights into once great civilizations. Later analysis of Babylonian and Assyrian languages connected them to the group of Semitic languages. Rawlinson’s work thus provided great insight of human history.

As a politician, Rawlinson was a strong advocate of the forward policy in Afghanistan, and counseled the retention of Kandahar. He was one of the most important figures arguing that Britain must check Russian ambitions in South Asia, arguing that Tsarist Russia would attack and absorb Khokand, Bokhara and Khiva (which they did) and would invade Persia (present-day Iran) and Afghanistan as springboards to British India.


  • This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.

Bibliography

  • Rawlinson, Henry C. 1846-1951. The Persian cuneiform inscription at Behistun. John W. Parker
  • Rawlinson, Henry C. 1850. A Commentary on the Cuneiform Inscriptions of Babylonia and Assyria. s.n.
  • Rawlinson, Henry C. 1852. Outline of the history of Assyria: As collected from the inscriptions discovered by Austin Henry Layard, Esq. in the ruins of Nineveh. John W. Parker
  • Rawlinson, Henry C. 1854. Notes on the Early History of Babylonia. s.n.
  • Rawlinson, Henry C. 1861. Notes on the direct overland telegraph from Constantinople to Kurrachi. John Murray
  • Rawlinson, Henry C. 1878. The Afghan crisis. s.n.
  • Rawlinson, Henry C. 2005. England and Russia in the East. Adamant Media Corporation. ISBN 1402197497

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • Adkins, Lesley. 2004. Empires of the Plain: Henry Rawlinson and the Lost Languages of Babylon. Thomas Dunne Books. ISBN 0312330022
  • Layard, Austen H. 2001. Nineveh and Babylon: A Narrative of a Second Expedition to Assyria during the Years 1849, 1850, & 1851. Adamant Media Corporation. ISBN 1402178565
  • Meyer, Karl E. & Brysac, Shareen B. 1999. Tournament of Shadows: The Great Game and the Race for Empire in Central Asia. Washington D.C.: Couterpoint. ISBN 158243106X
  • Rawlinson, George. 2005. (original from 1898). Memoir of Major-General Sir Henry Creswicke Rawlinson. Adamant Media Corporation. ISBN 1402183313
  • Silverberg, Robert 1966. To The Rock of Darius: The story of Henry Rawlinson. Holt, Rinehart & Winston

External links

  • The Behistun inscription – About the inscription, pictures of the site where Rawlinson found the script in Iran, and more

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