Schuh’s Annotated Bio-Bibliography


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FINOT, Louis.

(1864 – 1935)

(Born: 1864; Died: 1935) French oriental scholar.

Educated in Paris, Finot came onto the staff of the Bibliotheque Nationale in 1890. He specialized in the study of Indian languages, archeology, ethnology. In 1917 he became the Director of Studies at the École Pratique des Hautes Études.

Biographical references: ABF: II 263, 44-45. DBF: 13, 1378. WBI.

1. French, 1896.
Les | Lapidaires Indiens | Par | Louis Finot | [...2 lines of titles and memberships...] | [ornament] | Paris | Librairie Émile Bouillon, Éditeur | 67, Rue De Richelieu, Au Premier | [short rule] | 1896.

8°: [8], [I]-LII, [4], [1]-280 p. Page size: 240 x 160 mm. uncut.

Contents: [2 pgs], Half title page, verso "Chalon-Sur-Saone, Imp Française Et Orientale De L. Marceau.".; [2 pgs], Title page, verso blank.; [2 pgs], Series title page, verso blank.; [1 pg], Note of award to Finot.; [1 pg], Blank.; [I]-LII, "Introduction."; [1 pg], "Abreviations."; [1 pg], Blank.; [1 pg], "Bibliographie."; [1 pg], Blank.; [1]-207, Text.; [208], Blank.; [209]-244, "Variantes Et Notes."; [245]-273, "Indices."; [274], Blank.; [275]-277, "Additions Et Corrections."; [278], Blank.; [289]-280, "Table Des Matières."

Very scarce. This is a study of ancient Indian lapidaries reproduced in Sanskrit together with copiously annotated parallel translations in French. The lengthy introduction provides a history of lapidary tradition in ancient India and compares the various works against each other. This is followed by the reproduction and translations of the ancent texts: Ratnapariksâ of Buddhabhatta, Brhatsamhitâ of Varâhamihira, Agastimata, Navaratnapariksâ, Agastiyâ Ratnapariksâ, Ratnasamgraha, Laghu-Ratnapariksâ, and the Manimâhâtmya. Many pages of textual notes and comprehensive indexes conclude the book.

Facsimile reprint, 1986: Paris, Adidom, 1986.

Bibliographical references: Biswas, Gems and Minerals in Ancient India, 1997: ????. Sinkankas, Gemology Bibliography, 1993: no. 2107.

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