Alexander Henry Rhind

1833 - 1863

Egyptologist. Born in Wick (Highland), Rhind studied at the University of Edinburgh. Suffering from poor health, he travelled to Egypt where he became fascinated by the ancient culture and antiquities of that country. He collected material for his book entitled Thebes, its Tombs and their Tenants (1862). Amongst the items Rhind collected was the so-called Rhind Papyrus, which he acquired in 1858 and came to the British Museum in 1863. This remarkable document remains the principal source of modern understanding of Egyptian mathematics.

A series of lectures was founded in his memory at the University of Edinburgh.

Use the tabs on the right of this page to see other parts of this entry