(Born: Schässburg, Siebenbürgen, Hungary, 25 January 1782; Died: Hemmersdorf near Hermannstadt, Germany, 12 August 1862) Hungarian archaeologist.

Studied in Wittenberg and Göttingen, becoming for 13 years Professor of Philosophy and Archaeology at the School in Hermannstadt. From 1821 he was an evangelist preacher in Hemannstadt.

Biographical references: ADB. • Bermann, Österreiches biographisches Lexikon, 1851-2: 1 Heft. • DBA: I 4, 149-165; 1422, 95. • Lambrecht & Quenstedt, Catalogus, 1938: 2. • Österreich Biographisches Lexikon. • Poggendorff: 3, 9. • Trausch, Schriftsteller-Lexikon, 1868-2001: 1, 1-8. • Verhandlungen und Mitteilungen des Siebenburgischen vereins für Naturwissenschaften zu Hermannstadt: 13 (18??), 123. • WBI. • Wollmann, V., Johann Michael Ackner (1782-1862). Leben und Werk. 1982. 282 p., 63 illus. • Wurzbach, Biographisches Lexikon Österreich, 1856-91: 1, 4.

1. German, 1855.
Mineralogie | Siebenbürgens, | Mit | Geognostischen Andeutungen | Von | M.J. Ackner, | [...3 lines of titles and memberships...] | [rule] | Eine | vom Vereine zur Beförderung der siebenbürgischen Landeskunde | gekrönte Preisschrift. | [rule] | Mit einer geognostisch-oryktognostischen Karte Siebenbürgens. | [ornate rule] | Hermannstadt, 1855. | Druck und Verlag von Theodor Steinhaussen.

8°: π⁸ 1-39⁸ 40⁴; 205l.; [i]-xv, [1], [1]-391, [3] p., 8 folding plates, one map. Page size: 224 x 132 mm.

Contents: [i-ii], Title page, verso two lines of quotation signed Linneaus.; [iii]-vii, "Vorwort."-dated 30 April 1844, "Nachschrift." (pages vi-vii) dated 30 July 1855.; viii, "Befolgte Namen-Abkürzungen."; [ix]-xv, "Inhalt."; [1 pg], Blank.; [1]-367, Text.; [368]-391, "Alphabetisches Register."; [1 pg], Blank.; [1 pg], "Druckfehler."; [1 pg], Blank.

Plates: The 8 unsigned, folding lithographic plates are numbered Tab. I to Tab. VIII. Each shows figures of crystal drawings. The large (410 x 470 mm.), unsigned, folding map is titled: "Andeutungen | der | geognost-oryktognostischen Verhältnisse | Siebenbürgens."

Scarce. This major topographical work covers the important mining region of the Siebenburgen located in present day Romania. In the first part of the forward, Ackner outlines his goals and reasons for writing this book. He notes that no previous work had sufficiently described the mineralogical wonders of the area. He qualifies this view by providing a list of earlier titles, and outlining the comprehensive treatment he plans. Ackner began work in 1844, which is the first date of the forward. In the "Nachschrift" that immediately follows, he recounts how the first Heft of this book was published in 1847, and that it was only after eight years of thorough research that the volume was completed in 1855. The text is a descriptive mineralogy in the arrangement of C.S. Weiss' system of classification. Each species found in the region is provided a description giving copious notes about localities, associations, crystallography, and chemistry.

Bibliographical references: BL [7108.c.6.]. • BMC: 1, 9. • NUC [no copy listed]. • Szinnyei, Hungarica Historiae Naturalis, 1878: 1.

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