James Burton (Egyptologist)
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James Burton (formerly Haliburton and latterly Haliburton) FGS |
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| Born | 22 September 1786 London |
| Died | 22 February 1862 |
| Resting place | Dean Cemetery, Edinburgh |
| Nationality | British |
| Education | Tonbridge School |
| Alma mater | Trinity College, Cambridge, Lincoln's Inn |
| Occupation | Egyptologist, Explorer. |
| Parents |
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| Relatives | Decimus Burton |
James Burton FGS (22 September 1786 – 22 February 1862) (formerly James Haliburton and latterly James Haliburton) was an early British Egyptologist, known for his pioneering exploration and mapping of the Valley of the Kings, during which he became the first individual of the modern age to enter KV5, his pioneering excavations at Karnak, during which he discovered of the Karnak king list, and his excavations at Medinet Habu, during which he was part of the team that discovered TT391.
The son of James Burton (property developer), he was christened 'James Haliburton' but his father changed the family surname to Burton in 1794. The son James then changed his surname to Burton also, though he was the only member of the family to subsequently change his surname back to Haliburton (in 1838). He was the brother of the architect Decimus Burton.
James was the fourth child and second son of property developer James Burton (formerly James Haliburton) and Elizabeth Westley (12 December 1761 - 14 January 1837), of Loughton, Essex, daughter of John and Mary Westley. The son was christened 'James Haliburton' but his father changed the family surname to Burton in 1794. The son James then changed his surname to Burton also, though he was the only member of the family to subsequently change his surname back to Haliburton (in 1838). He was an older brother of the architect Decimus Burton.
James was educated at Tonbridge School, Trinity College, Cambridge and Lincoln's Inn.
Between 1815 and 1822 Burton worked for the architect Sir John Soane and traveled in Italy with his secretary, Charles Humphreys, where he met Egyptologists Sir John Gardner Wilkinson, Edward William Lane, and Sir William Gell. In 1820, he was part of the team that first discovered TT391. In 1822, despite having no mineralogical knowledge, he was invited by Pasha Mohammed Ali to work as a mineralogist in the Geological Survey of Egypt. He left in 1824 and started to investigate the ancient monuments of Egypt.
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