Ilya Gershevitch
Encyclopedia
Ilya Gershevitch was a noted Iranologist.
Gershevitch was born to Russian parents fleeing from Germany to Switzerland at the outbreak of World War I
.
He enrolled in the University of Rome in 1933, and moved to England in 1938.
In 1948, he became the first holder of a new Lectureship in Iranian Studies at Cambridge University.
He became a Fellow of the British Academy
in 1967 and later a corresponding member of both the Accademia dei Lincei and the Russian Academy. In 1971 he received an honorary doctorate from the University of Berne
.
His work includes pioneering studies of the Bashkardi dialect, the decipherment of Bactrian
, besides contributions to Sogdian
and Avestan philology, Ossetic, Elamite and Zoroastrian studies and Achaemenid history.
Gershevitch was born to Russian parents fleeing from Germany to Switzerland at the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
He enrolled in the University of Rome in 1933, and moved to England in 1938.
In 1948, he became the first holder of a new Lectureship in Iranian Studies at Cambridge University.
He became a Fellow of the British Academy
British Academy
The British Academy is the United Kingdom's national body for the humanities and the social sciences. Its purpose is to inspire, recognise and support excellence in the humanities and social sciences, throughout the UK and internationally, and to champion their role and value.It receives an annual...
in 1967 and later a corresponding member of both the Accademia dei Lincei and the Russian Academy. In 1971 he received an honorary doctorate from the University of Berne
University of Berne
The University of Bern is a university in the Swiss capital of Bern and was founded in 1834. It is regulated and financed by the Canton of Bern. It is a comprehensive university offering a broad choice of courses and programmes in eight faculties and some 160 institutes. The university is an...
.
His work includes pioneering studies of the Bashkardi dialect, the decipherment of Bactrian
Bactrian language
The Bactrian language is an extinct Eastern Iranian language which was spoken in the Central Asian region of Bactria. Linguistically, it is classified as belonging to the middle period of the East Iranian branch...
, besides contributions to Sogdian
Sogdian language
The Sogdian language is a Middle Iranian language that was spoken in Sogdiana , located in modern day Uzbekistan and Tajikistan ....
and Avestan philology, Ossetic, Elamite and Zoroastrian studies and Achaemenid history.
External links
- http://titus.uni-frankfurt.de/personal/galeria/gershevi.htm
- http://titus.uni-frankfurt.de/personal/galeria/gershev1.htm