Léon Heuzey

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Léon Heuzey (1831 - 1922) Noted French archaeologist and historian.

In 1855 Heuzey came to Greece as a member of the French Archaeological School, and for the next two years travelled extensively in Macedonia and Akarnania. The record he kept of his journey, "Le Mont Olympe et l'Acarnanie", was published in Paris in 1860. On this expedition he realised the importance of the site of present day Vergina. He began excavations there in 1861, later extending his archaeological ventures to Philippi, western Macedonia, Illyria and Thessaly. He discovered many sites of considerable importance, including Dion, at the foot of Mount Olympus. In 1893 he discovered the site of Delphi, which led to its excavation and appreciation of its significance. He was also an expert on historic costumes of the Ancient Greek, Byzantine, Egyptian and Roman eras and author of "Histoire du costume antique d'aprés des études sur le modéle vivant."