26 March 1840 A.D. George Smith—Banknote Engraver Turned Assyriologist and Archaeologist
26 March 1840 A.D. George Smith—Banknote Engraver Turned
Assyriologist and Archaeologist
George Smith (1840 to 1876)
Protestant
Banknote Engraver Turns to Cuneiform.
George Smith, English Assyriologist, was born in London. In early life
he was a banknote engraver, but gained an increasing interest in Oriental
languages and explorations. He made several expeditions to the site of ancient
Ninevah. During the first two (1873, 1874), he unearthed over 3,000 cuneiform
tablets, including portions of the ancient Deluge (Noah's Flood) story. His
skill at deciphering the writing led to his co-authoring Sir Henry Rawlinson's
third volume of Cuneiform Inscriptions.
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