Charles Simon Clermont-Ganneau
| Charles Simon Clermont-Ganneau | |
|---|---|
| Born |
February 19, 1846 Paris, France |
| Died | February 15, 1923 (aged 76) |
| Nationality | French |
| Known for | Orientalist and archaeologist |
| Notable work | involvement with stele of Mesha (Moabite Stone), Palestine inconnue (1886), discovery of Azal (Zechariah 14:5) |
| Movement | middle Eastern archaeology |
Charles Simon Clermont-Ganneau (19 February 1846 – 15 February 1923) was a noted French Orientalist and archaeologist.
Clermont-Ganneau was born in Paris, son of a sculptor of some repute. After an education at the Institut national des langues et civilisations orientales, he entered the diplomatic service as dragoman to the consulate at Jerusalem, and afterwards at Constantinople. He laid the foundation of his reputation by his involvement with stele of Mesha (Moabite Stone), which bears the oldest Semitic inscription known.
In 1871, Clermont-Ganneau identified the biblical city of Gezer (Joshua 16:11) with that of Abu Shusha, formerly known as Tell el Jezer. In the same year he discover in Jerusalem Temple Warning inscription. In 1874 he was employed by the British government to take charge of an archaeological expedition to Palestine. Among his discoveries there was the rock-cut tomb of the Biblical Shebna. He explored/discovered many tombs in Wady Yasul, a valley immediately south of Jerusalem, which he claimed served as an auxiliary cemetery for Jerusalem at some ancient period(s). Based on geographic and linguistic evidence he theorized that this valley was Azal mentioned in Zechariah 14:5 in the Bible. He was the first to make archeological soundings at Emmaus-Nicopolis. He was subsequently entrusted by his own government with similar missions to Syria and the Red Sea. He was made chevalier of the Legion of Honour in 1875. After serving as vice-consul at Jaffa from 1880 to 1882, he returned to Paris as secrétaire interpréte for oriental languages, and in 1886 was appointed consul of the first class. He subsequently accepted the post of diiector of the École des Langues Orientales and professor at the Collège de France.
...
Wikipedia