BOTTA, PAUL-EMILE

BOTTA, PAUL-EMILE. - Archaeologist and Assyriologist of Italian origin, born in Turin on 6 Dec. 1802; he followed his father in his political ideas and served France, but died at Achères near Poissy on 29 March 1870. French consul at Alexandria in Egypt, at Mosul and at Tripoli in Syria, he was entrusted with archaeological missions: he discovered at Khorsabad the ruins of Assyrian buildings, which he supposed to be the ruins of Nineveh, whereas they were the SARGON II (v.). He sent to Paris many fragments of monuments, which formed in the Louvre the so-called Assyrian museum. He contributed to the decipherment of cuneiform writing. He published monographs on Assyriology, the most important of which are Monument de Ninive, découvert et décrit (Paris 1847-50); Inscriptions découvertes à Khor-sabad (ibid. 1848). Giustino Boson.