Alphons Stübel

Who was Alphons Stübel?

Moritz Alphons Stübel was a German geologist and vulcanologist who was a native of Leipzig.

He studied chemistry and mineralogy at the University of Leipzig. With geologist Wilhelm Reiss, he conducted geological and volcanological research in the Andes from 1868 to 1874. Afterwards the two geologists continued their research in Peru and Brazil, with Reiss returning to Germany in 1876 and Stübel continuing his travels throughout the continent, returning to Germany in August-1877.

In South America he also made astronomical measurements and performed meteorological, ethnographical zoological and archaeological research. Scientific material collected in South America was later preserved at the Museum of Comparative Cultures in Leipzig. In addition, Stübel took numerous photographs and created sketches of the places he visited. Many of the butterflies collected by Stübel were new species. They were described by the German entomologists Gustav Weymer and Peter Maassen.

Stübel also made a lesser known contribution to the study of the Middle East. In the years 1858, 1882 and 1890 he traveled mainly in Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, and Egypt.