Waddell, L. A. (Laurence Austine), 1854-1938

The 'Lepchas' or 'Rongs' and their songs
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Summary: Lieutenant Colonel Laurence Austine Waddell, CB, CIE, F.L.S., L.L.D, M.Ch., I.M.S. RAI, F.R.A.S was a Scottish explorer, Professor of Tibetan, Professor of Chemistry and Pathology, Indian Army surgeon, collector in Tibet, and amateur archaeologist. Waddell also studied Sumerian and Sanskrit; he made various translations of seals and other inscriptions. His reputation as an Assyriologist gained little to no academic recognition and his books on the history of civilization have caused controversy. Some of his book publications however were popular with the public, and he is regarded by some today to have been a real-life precursor of the fictional character Indiana Jones. Wikipedia
Gender or Sex: Male [1][2][3][4][5]
Born: 1854-05-20 [2]; 1854-05-29 [5]
Birth Place: Cumbernauld, GB [3]; Cumbernauld [5]
Died: 1938-09-19 [2][5]
Death Place: Craigmore, GB [3]; Rothesay [5]
Country: Great Britain [2]
Language: English [3]
Occupation: explorer [5]; writer [5]; military officer [5]; traveler [5]; army officer [5]
Profession: Orientalist [2]
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography: Biography (requires subscription) [5]
Yale LUX: Entity [5]

Sources: 1. VIAF; 2. Deutsche Nationalbibliothek (Germany); 3. Bibliothèque nationale de France; 4. National Library of Korea; 5. Wikidata

Last updated Dec 22, 2025