Isaac Hollister Hall
Encyclopedia
Isaac Hollister Hall was an American
Orientalist
born in Norwalk, Connecticut
.
He graduated at Hamilton College in 1859, was a tutor there in 1859-1863, graduated from Columbia Law School
in 1865, practised law
in New York City
until 1875, and, during 1875-1877, taught in the Syrian Protestant College at Beirut
, where he discovered a valuable Syriac manuscript of the Philoxenian version of a large part of the New Testament
, which he published in part in facsimile in 1884.
He worked with General di Cesnola
in classifying the famous Cypriote collection in the Metropolitan Museum of New York City, and was a curator
of that museum from 1885 until his death in Mount Vernon, New York
, on 2 July 1896.
He was an eminent authority on Oriental inscriptions. Following the scanty clues given by George Smith
and Samuel Birch
, and working on the data furnished by the di Cesnola collection, he succeeded about 1874 in deciphering an entire Cypriote inscription, and in establishing the Hellenic character of the dialect and the syllabic nature of the script.
His work in Cypriote epigraphy
is described in his articles in Scribner's Magazine, vol. 20 (June, 1880), pp. 205-211 and in the Journal of the American Oriental Society, vol. 10, No. 2 (1880), pp. 201-218. He published in facsimile the Antilegomena epistles (1886), which he deciphered from the WF Williams
's manuscript, and edited A Critical Bibliography of the Greek New Testament as Published in America (1884).
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Orientalist
Oriental studies
Oriental studies is the academic field of study that embraces Near Eastern and Far Eastern societies and cultures, languages, peoples, history and archaeology; in recent years the subject has often been turned into the newer terms of Asian studies and Middle Eastern studies...
born in Norwalk, Connecticut
Norwalk, Connecticut
Norwalk is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of the city is 85,603, making Norwalk sixth in population in Connecticut, and third in Fairfield County...
.
He graduated at Hamilton College in 1859, was a tutor there in 1859-1863, graduated from Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School, founded in 1858, is one of the oldest and most prestigious law schools in the United States. A member of the Ivy League, Columbia Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Columbia University in New York City. It offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in...
in 1865, practised law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
until 1875, and, during 1875-1877, taught in the Syrian Protestant College at Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
, where he discovered a valuable Syriac manuscript of the Philoxenian version of a large part of the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
, which he published in part in facsimile in 1884.
He worked with General di Cesnola
Luigi Palma di Cesnola
Luigi Palma di Cesnola , an Italian-American soldier and amateur archaeologist, was born in Rivarolo Canavese, near Turin...
in classifying the famous Cypriote collection in the Metropolitan Museum of New York City, and was a curator
Curator
A curator is a manager or overseer. Traditionally, a curator or keeper of a cultural heritage institution is a content specialist responsible for an institution's collections and involved with the interpretation of heritage material...
of that museum from 1885 until his death in Mount Vernon, New York
Mount Vernon, New York
Mount Vernon is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States. It lies on the border of the New York City borough of The Bronx.-Overview:...
, on 2 July 1896.
He was an eminent authority on Oriental inscriptions. Following the scanty clues given by George Smith
George Smith (assyriologist)
George Smith , was a pioneering English Assyriologist who first discovered and translated the Epic of Gilgamesh, the oldest-known written work of literature.-Early life and early career:...
and Samuel Birch
Samuel Birch
Samuel Birch was a British Egyptologist and antiquary.-Biography:Birch was the son of a rector at St Mary Woolnoth, London. He was educated at Merchant Taylors' School. From an early age, his manifest tendency to the study of out-of-the-way subjects well suited his later interest in archaeology...
, and working on the data furnished by the di Cesnola collection, he succeeded about 1874 in deciphering an entire Cypriote inscription, and in establishing the Hellenic character of the dialect and the syllabic nature of the script.
His work in Cypriote epigraphy
Epigraphy
Epigraphy Epigraphy Epigraphy (from the , literally "on-writing", is the study of inscriptions or epigraphs as writing; that is, the science of identifying the graphemes and of classifying their use as to cultural context and date, elucidating their meaning and assessing what conclusions can be...
is described in his articles in Scribner's Magazine, vol. 20 (June, 1880), pp. 205-211 and in the Journal of the American Oriental Society, vol. 10, No. 2 (1880), pp. 201-218. He published in facsimile the Antilegomena epistles (1886), which he deciphered from the WF Williams
William Fenwick Williams
General Sir William Fenwick Williams, 1st Baronet GCB was a British military leader of the Victorian era.-Early life:...
's manuscript, and edited A Critical Bibliography of the Greek New Testament as Published in America (1884).