Alexander Henry Rhind

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

for others with the same name see Rhind

Alexander Henry Rhind (1833 – 1863) was a Scottish lawyer and Egyptologist. Born in Wick in the Highlands, Rhind studied at the University of Edinburgh. Suffering from pulmonary disease, he traveled to Egypt (as was the custom amongst wealthy Europeans at the time) where he became fascinated by the ancient culture and antiquities of that country.

He collected material for his book entitled "Thebes, its Tombs and their Tenants", which was published in 1862. A prolific writer with a methodical research style, all through his years in Egypt he continued to battle ill health.

Among the items that he collected was the Rhind Papyrus, also known as the Ahmes Papyrus after its Egyptian scribe. Rhind acquired it in 1858 and transferred it to the British Museum in 1863, and the similar Egyptian Mathematical Leather Roll. Both are mathematical treatises and both were purchased in the Luxor market, and may have previously been stolen from the Ramesseum. When chemically softened and decoded years afterward, they show the Egyptians had computed the value of π as 3.1605, a margin of error of less than one percent.

Rhind died in his sleep at the age of 30. Along with his 1600-volume library he left a bequest to the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland to fund a lecturer, and the prestigious Rhind lectures currently hosted by the Society still bear his name.

[edit] Publications

• British archeology, its progress and demands
• Facsimiles of two papyri found in a tomb at Thebes with a translation by Samuel Birch and an account of their discovery
• Law of treasure-trove : how can it be best adapted to accomplish useful results?
• Thebes : its tombs and their tenants, ancient and present

[edit] References

• Memoir of the Late Alexander Henry Rhind, of Sibster, by John Stuart, entire text online through Google Books