LAY'ARD, Sir AuSTEN HENRY (1517-94). An English traveler, arelneologist, and diplo matist. He was born in Paris of English parents and spent several years of his youth with his father at Florence, in Italy. He began the study of law, hut before finishing set out on a course of Eastern travel, visited several districts of Asiatic Turkey, and acquired a love for Oriental studies, which he never lost. Tn 1842 he paid a second visit to Alo-sul, where the French Consul, P. Botta (q.v.). was conducting excava tions on the site of the ancient Nineveh. Layard, several years before Botta, had recognized the importance of these ruin, and formed the deter mination to continue the examination of the site of the ancient city. Tn 1845 he was able to begin his excavations. being liberally assisted by Lord Stratford de Bedelitie, then British Ambassador at Constantinople. In 1848 he received a gen erous subvention to carry on the work under the auspices of the British Museum. Ilis ex cavations were successful to a remarkable degree. He sent to the British Museum a mass of sculptures and inscriptions, and discovered among other remains the library of King Asshur banipal. (See AssvnLt.) The results of his labors were embodied in his works, Ninerch and Its Remains (1S4S), and Ninerch and Babylon (1853). In 1852 Layard became member of
Parliament for Aylesbury, and was for a short time Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs under Lord John Russell. In 1855-56 he served as lord rector of Aberdeen University. In 18,60 lie was elected to Parliament from Southwark. From 1861 to 1866 he was again Under-Sec retary of State for Foreign Affairs. Ile was appointed chief commissioner of works and privy councilor in 1S6S, and in 1869 went as British Ambassador to Spain. In 1877 he was sent as Amhassado• to Constantinople, where be re mained until 1850. Ile was honored with the Order of the Bath in I57S. and in 1890 became a foreign member of the Institute of France. Ile died in London, July 5. 1894. Besides the works mentioned above, Layard published: I/onu mrnls of .\'in( re/t (series 1., 100 plates, 1849; series ii., 71 plates, 1s33) : 1ns(•riplIons in the Cuncifor•nr ('harrrclrr (rout the _Issl/rian .11onu frlenis L94 18S1); Early .1tirrnlurns in )'crsin, ,"•asirrna, amyl lf(il,l/lonin (2 cols., 1887; 2d ed., .:bridged. 1 vol., 1894) ; and several lvorks on art, Ste -\ssviuiA: NiNEvETI. Consult the .ttoLio(tr•aphy, ed. by Bruce (3 cols., New 'York, 1902).