Eduard Seler

Who was Eduard Seler?

Eduard Georg Seler was a prominent German anthropologist, ethnohistorian, linguist, epigrapher, academic and Americanist scholar, who made extensive contributions in these fields towards the study of pre-Columbian era cultures in the Americas. He is most renowned for his foundational studies concerning the ethnography, documents and history of Mesoamerican cultures, for which he has been regarded as one of the most influential Mesoamericanist scholars active around the turn of the 20th century.

Being poor and of ailing health, he has been helped and supported along the years by his wife Cäcilie Seler-Sachs, at the same time monetarily, physically, and intellectually. Her photos of Aztec temples and pyramids are even nowadays useful to scientists, and after her husband's death she went on verifying his works, and publishing them. On the spot, the Selers were helped by Mexican scholar and historian Antonio Peñafiel.