Luigi Palma di Cesnola

Luigi Palma di Cesnola (July 29th 1832 - November 21st 1904) American of Italian origin , soldier and archeologist amateur, born close to Turin.

Military career

It serves in the Austrian army at the time of the Crimean War in 1860. He emigrates then in the United States, with New York, where he teaches Italian and French. He founds a military academy of training of the officers. He takes part in the American Civil War as colonel of a regiment of cavalry, being useful under the name of Louis P. di Cesnola . He is wounded and made captive at the time of the Bataille of Aldie (June 1863). He receives off the Medal Honor for his courage.

Careers diplomatic and archaeological

Palma di Cesnola is then named consul of the United States with Larnaca on the island of Cyprus (1865-1877). It is interested then in the archaeological excavations of the site of Kourion where it puts at the many day objects and of ancient works of art. This collection will be bought by the Metropolitan Museum off Art of New York, whose Cesnola becomes director in 1879.

Evaluation of Cesnola by archeologists

Of alive sound, already, Cesnola essuya of sharp reproaches on behalf of famous archeologists. One reproached him for having undertaken excavations with an only aim of growing rich while causing irreversible damage for the scientific research. In order to offer to its customers objects as intact as possible, he did not hesitate to get rid, without scruple, of broken objects related to their discovery. It moreover falsififié the declaration of the places of intervention, of kinds that those cannot be found any more nowadays. On the basis of such fact, the title of archeologist is denied to him today by the specialists.

Works and publications

Ten months in Libby prison. ; Philadelphia 1865.
Cypriot Antiquities coming from the excavations made in 1868 ; Paris, 1870.
Cyprus: its ancient cities, tombs, and temples. ; New York, To grip & Bros., 1878.
Collection off photographs off ancient Eastern Article ; New York, 1880.
Gaston L. Feuardent vs. Louis P. di Cesnola Testimony off the defendant. ; Luigi Palma di Cesnola, Gaston Louis Feuardent; New York, Printed for the plaintiff by J. Polhemus, 1884.
has descriptive atlas off the Cesnola Collection off Cypriot antiquities in the Metropolitan Museum off Art, New York ; Boston: J.R. Osgood, 1885-1903.
Year address one the practical been worth off the American Museum. ; Troy, N.Y., The Stowell Printing House, 1887.
Address At the Unveiling off the Columbus Monument in the city off New York, October 12th, 1892. ; New York, 1892.

Random links: