Ancient Persian Literature
The study of Avestic and ancient Persian literature in the west began in the 18th century with scholars investigating Zoroastrian texts brought in from Bombay, India. It was the Frenchman Anquetil Duperron who first translated the Vendidad in 1759, followed by works of Sir William Jones and Sylvestre de Sacy, who worked on Pahlavi texts. The decipherment of the ancient cuneiform inscriptions came later in the 19th century by Grotefend of the Göttingen Royal Society.
Read more about this topic: Persian Literature In Western Culture
Famous quotes containing the words ancient, persian and/or literature:
“With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.”
—Bible: Hebrew Job 12:12.
“If one doubts whether Grecian valor and patriotism are not a fiction of the poets, he may go to Athens and see still upon the walls of the temple of Minerva the circular marks made by the shields taken from the enemy in the Persian war, which were suspended there. We have not far to seek for living and unquestionable evidence. The very dust takes shape and confirms some story which we had read.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
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