Author Description

Sir Ernest Alfred Thompson Wallis Budge (1857-1934) was an English egyptologist, orientalist, and philologist who worked for the British Museum and published numerous works on the ancient Near East. Budge entered the British Museum in the re-named Department of Egyptian and Assyrian Antiquities in 1883, and though he was initially appointed to the Assyrian section, he soon transferred to the Egyptian section, where he began to study the ancient Egyptian language with Samuel Birch until the latter's death in 1885. Budge continued to study ancient Egyptian with the new Keeper, Peter le Page Renouf, until Renouf's retirement in 1891. Budge became Assistant Keeper in his department, and was confirmed as Keeper in 1894, a position in which he remained until 1924, specializing in Egyptology. He was also a prolific author, and he is especially remembered today for his works on Egyptian religion and his hieroglyphic primers. He was knighted for his distinguished contributions to Egyptology and the British Museum in 1920. His works include: Easy Lessons in Egyptian Hieroglyphics with Sign List (1889), The Book of the Dead (1895), Egyptian Magic (1899) and By Nile and Tigris (1920).