Étienne Aymonier

Who was Étienne Aymonier?

Étienne François Aymonier was a French linguist and explorer. He was the first archaeologist to systematically survey the ruins of the Khmer empire in today's Cambodia, Thailand, Laos and southern Vietnam. His principal work was the Le Cambodge, published in three volumes from 1900-1904.

He was born in Le Châtelard, Savoie, France.

He also served as acting French representative for the French protectorate of Cambodia from January 6, 1879 to May 10, 1881, and was the first director of the Ecole Coloniale. He assembled a large collection of Khmer sculpture which was later housed in the Guimet Museum in Paris. He also wrote books on the Cham language.