ECKHEL, JOSEPH HILARY, an eminent antiquary and numis matist, was born at Entzerafeld, in Austria, January 13, 1737. His father, who was in the service of Count Zinzendorf, sent him at a very early age to the Jesuits' College at Vienna, where, in ]751, he was enrolled in their society. He studied philosophy, mathematics, divinity, and the learned languages, but devoted himself chiefly to antiquities and medals. His skill in the latter induced the superiors of the college, a few years afterwards, to give him the place of keeper of their cabinet of medals and coins. In 1772 he went to Italy, where the grand-duke of Tuscany, Leopold II., engaged him to arrange his collection ; and on his return to Vienna, in 1774, be was appointed director of the Imperial Cabinet of Medals, and professor of antiquities. In 1775 he published his first work upon his favourite study, entitled Numi veteres Anecdoti ex Museis Cresareo Vindobonensi, Florentino Magni Duds Etruria, Granelliano nunc Cecsareo, Vitzaino, Festetic siano, Savorgnano Veneto, aliisque,' 4to, Vienna. This was followed in 1776 by Catalogus Musei Cresarei Vindobonensia Numorum Vete rum, diatributus in partes ii, quorum prior Monetam Urbium, Popu lorum, Regum, alters Romanorum complectitur,' 2 tom. folio, accom panied by eight plates of inedited coins. In 1780 he published his Sylloge I. numoruna anecdotorum Thesauri Cxsarei,' 4to ; his Des criptio Numorum Antiochire Syria, sive Specimen Artis criticaa Numarire,' 4to, was likewise printed at Vienna the same year ; and in 1787 he produced a small elementary work on coins for the use of schools, in his native language, entitled 'Kurzgefasste Anfaogsgriinde zur alten Numismatik,' 8vo, Vien. This work has ainco been improved and published in France, under the title of Trait6 E16mentaire de Numismatique Grecque et Romaine, compos6 d'apres celui d'Eekhel,' par Gerard Jacob, 2 tom. 8vo, Par., 1825. In 1788 Eckhel published
a folio volume upon the gems of the Imperial Collection, Choix do Pierres gravdes du Cabinet Imperial des Antiques, repr6sent6es en xL Planches; ' and in 1792 the first volume of his 'Doctrine Numorum Veterum,' Vienna, 4to ; the eighth and last volume of which was pub Hailed in 1798. A supplement to it, with his portrait prefixed, after wards appeared, 'Addenda ad Eckhelii Doctrinam Numorum Veterum ex ejusdem Autographo postumo,' 4to, Vindob., 1826. This work, which embraces the science of numismatics in general, has placed Eckhel at the head of writers upon ancient coins. Ho died May 16th, 1798, at the house of his friend the Baron do Locella.
In his younger years Eckhel published three or four small pieces unconnected with numismatics: namely, two Latin odes on the nuptials of Joseph II., in 1765 ; another in German, in 1768, on the departure of Maria Carolina, archduchess of Austria, from Vienna; and two years afterwards an oration in German on the occasion of the emperor's visit to Italy, Rede auf die Reise Josephs II. in Italien,' 8vo, 1770. An ' Explication Grammaticale des Proph6ties d'Haggde,' by him, appeared in Magasin Encyclopddique, annde, tom ii., p. 461.
(Saxii, Onamastieon ; Visconti's account of Eckhel, in the Biographic Unirerselle ; and the Notitia Literaria de Vita et Seriphs J. H. Eekhel, translated from the French of Millin, prefixed to the Addenda ad Doctrinam Numorum Veterum.)