LENORMANT, CHARLES and FRANÇOIS. - 1. CHARLES. - French archaeologist and historian, b. in Paris on 1 Jan. 1802, d. in Athens on 24 Nov. 1859. An encyclopedic and restless spirit, he occupied himself with jurisprudence, Roman law, archaeology and history.
He traveled a great deal, especially in Egypt, together with Champollion. From 1835 he taught at the Sorbonne; having converted to a Christian life during his history courses, he was so disgusted by the hostility of certain circles toward the Church that in 1846 he resigned and went on to teach Egyptian archaeology at the Collège de France.
Among his many writings may be mentioned: Trésor de numismatique et de égyptique (5 vols., Paris 1836-50); Introduction à l'histoire orientale (ibid. 1838); Musée des antiquités égyptiennes (ibid. 1842); Questions historiques (2 vols., ibid. 1843).
2. FRANÇOIS
Archaeologist and orientalist, son of the preceding, b. in Paris on 17 Jan. 1837, d. there on 17 Nov. 1883. L. revealed himself as a child prodigy; at the age of fourteen he already published a letter on the Greek tablets of Memphis. Like his father, he traveled a great deal, taking an interest in Christian, classical and oriental archaeology. His numerous publications, however, are of rather modest scientific value. In 1875 he founded the Gazette archéologique.
Among his principal works may be listed: Essai sur la classification des monnaies des Lagides (Paris 1856); Recherches archéologiques à Eleusis (ibid. 1862); Manuel d'histoire ancienne de l'Orient (2 vols., ibid. 1868); Histoire des peuples orientaux et de l'Inde (ibid. 1869); Essai sur la propagation de l'alphabet phénicien dans l'ancien monde (ibid. 1872-75); Choix de textes cunéiformes inédits ou incomplètement publiés (ibid. 1873-75); Les premières civilisations (2 vols., ibid. 1874); La monnaie dans l'antiquité (3 vols., ibid. 1878-79); Les origines de l'histoire d'après la Bible et les traditions des peuples orientaux (2 vols., ibid. 1880-82).
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Angelo Penna