Étienne François Aymonier (26 February 1844 – 21 January 1929) was a French

linguist Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. It is called a scientific study because it entails a comprehensive, systematic, objective, and precise analysis of all aspects of language, particularly its nature and structure. Lingu ...

and explorer. He was the first

archaeologist Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landsca ...

to systematically survey the ruins of the Khmer empire in today's

Cambodia Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand ...

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...

Laos Laos (, ''Lāo'' )), officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic ( Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ, French: République démocratique populaire lao), is a socialist s ...

and southern Vietnam. His principal work wa
"''Le Cambodge''"
published in three volumes from 1900 to 1904. He was born in Le Châtelard,

Savoie Savoie (; Arpitan: ''Savouè'' or ''Savouè-d'Avâl''; English: ''Savoy'' ) is a department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, Southeastern France. Located in the French Alps, its prefecture is Chambéry. In 2019, Savoie had a population ...

, France. He also served as acting French representative for the

French protectorate of Cambodia The French protectorate of Cambodia ( km, ប្រទេសកម្ពុជាក្រោមអាណាព្យាបាលបារាំង; french: Protectorat français du Cambodge) refers to the Kingdom of Cambodia when it was a Fren ...

from 6 January 1879 to 10 May 1881 and was the first director of the École Coloniale. He assembled a large collection of Khmer sculpture which was later housed in the

Guimet Museum The Guimet Museum (full name in french: Musée national des arts asiatiques-Guimet; MNAAG; ) is an art museum located at 6, place d'Iéna in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, France. Literally translated into English, its full name is the Nation ...

in Paris. He also wrote books on the

Cham language Cham (Cham: ꨌꩌ) is a Malayo-Polynesian languages, Malayo-Polynesian language of the Austronesian languages, Austronesian family, spoken by the Cham people, Chams of Southeast Asia. It is spoken primarily in the territory of the former Kingdo ...

Legacy

The species ''

Gyrinocheilus aymonieri ''Gyrinocheilus aymonieri'' is a freshwater fish native to large parts of Southeast Asia. It is of interest as a local food source and for the aquarium trade. Its common names include honey sucker, sucking loach and Chinese algae eater. ''G. ...

'' (Siamese algae eater) commemorates his name.Order CYPRINIFORMES: Families PSILORHYNCHIDAE, GYRINOCHEILIDAE and CATOSTOMIDAE
The ETYFish Project

Works

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References

People from Savoie 1844 births 1929 deaths French explorers French archaeologists Linguists from France Southeast Asian studies scholars {{Cambodia-academic-bio-stub