Ernest wallis budge biography of abraham lincoln

Wallis Budge — was a prominent English Egyptologist, philologist, and author who made significant contributions to the study and popularization of ancient Egyptian and Near Eastern culture. Raised in a modest household, he faced early challenges that limited his access to formal education. At the age of 12, Budge left school to work as a clerk at WHSmith, a job that he held for several years.

During this period, he frequented the British Museum, studying ancient texts and artifacts and nurturing his passion for ancient cultures, particularly the languages of the Near East. His dedication and talent soon drew the attention of Samuel Birch, the head of Oriental Antiquities at the British Museum, and George Smith, a pioneering Assyriologist.

Under the mentorship of Birch and later Peter le Page Renouf, Budge honed his expertise in Egyptian language and culture. His work in the museum involved cataloging, translating, and acquiring artifacts, and he quickly rose through the ranks. In , Budge was appointed Keeper of the Egyptian and Assyrian Antiquities Department, a position he held until his retirement in During his tenure, Budge traveled extensively in Egypt and Iraq, acquiring a vast collection of antiquities for the museum.

These expeditions allowed the British Museum to amass one of the most impressive collections of Egyptian artifacts, including some of the most notable ancient manuscripts and tablets. Some of his most famous acquisitions include the Papyrus of Ani , one of the most detailed copies of the Egyptian Book of the Dead , and the Amarna Letters, a set of diplomatic correspondence from ancient Egypt.

His writing covered a range of topics, from translations of ancient texts to comprehensive studies of Egyptian religion, language, and mythology. Some of his most significant works include:.

Budge was a curator

In , he faced a lawsuit from Hormuzd Rassam, a fellow archaeologist, whom Budge had accused of smuggling artifacts out of Nineveh. Additionally, some of his peers criticized his aggressive acquisition methods and his tendency to blend speculation with scholarship in his writings. His ideas ran counter to the prevailing view that Egyptian civilization was a product of foreign influences, a theory endorsed by leading Egyptologists like Flinders Petrie.