A Journal Written During an Excursion in Asia Minor.

FELLOWS, Charles.

Published by London: John Murray, 1839

First edition of this journal detailing Fellows's expedition and excavation of ancient sites in Anatolia. Its publication had a wide-ranging impact, revealing the location of the Lycian capital of Xanthus for the first time. It also sparked a wave of follow-up expeditions, one of which brought back 20 cases of Lycian marbles to the UK. Charles Fellows (1799-1860) was an archaeologist and explorer made famous for his research in Turkey. The death of his mother in 1832 led him to travel to Greece, Italy, and the Levant, eventually setting up base at Smyrna in 1838. His subsequent exploration of the interior and south of the region took him to places that were mostly unknown to Europeans at the time, such as Lycia, Phrygia, and Caria. His descriptions, sketches, and transcriptions were received with great interest when they were published, including that of the British Museum. The museum asked Lord Palmerston to apply for permission from the Ottoman rulers at Constantinople to export a number of Lycian works to Britain, including the reliefs from the Harpy Tomb and the Nereid Monument. Less famous are Fellows's observations of the people living in Anatolia at the time, admitting that "at the time of my arrival in the country I was strongly biassed in favour of the Greeks, and equally prejudiced against the Turks; and it will be seen in the course of the narrative how this unfavourable idea of the Turkish character was gradually removed by a personal intimacy with the people" (p. v). Atabey 424; Blackmer 578. Octavo (234 x 169 mm). Engraved frontispiece, 20 lithographic plates (one folding), one folding map with route hand-coloured, vignette to title page, illustrations in text. Near-contemporary green quarter Russia, spine gilt-lettered direct, raised bands ruled in blind and gilt, marbled boards with blind vertical rule, marbled endpapers and edges. A few small pencil drawings internally. Corners and board edges worn, boards marked, joints neatly repaired, small patch of abrasion to front pastedown, light foxing, small closed tear to map neatly repaired, some small stains and tidemarks to plates: a very good copy. Seller Inventory # 176271

Bibliographic Details

Title: A Journal Written During an Excursion in ...
Publisher: London: John Murray, 1839
Edition: 1st Edition