Layard, Austen Henry (1817–1894)

British archaeologist, politician, and diplomat. He conducted expeditions to Nineveh, where he found a library of cuneiform tablets, and to Babylon 1845–51. His collection of ancient Assyrian sculptures and bas-reliefs (low sculptural work on a background) now forms the greater part of the Assyrian collection in the British Museum, London.

Layard was born in Paris and spent much of his childhood abroad. After a period working in a London solicitor's office, he travelled to the Middle East 1839. Returning from his archaeological expeditions, he entered politics as member of Parliament for Aylesbury 1852–57 and for Southwark 1860–69, serving as undersecretary for foreign affairs 1852 and 1861–66. His diplomatic appointments were as minister to Spain 1869–77 and ambassador at Constantinople 1877–80. He retired to Venice, Italy, 1884.

Layard wrote and illustrated many books, including Illustrations of the Monuments of Nineveh (two volumes) 1848–49, Nineveh and its Remains (two volumes) 184–49, A Popular Account of Discoveries at Nineveh 1851, Discoveries in the Ruins of Nineveh and Babylon 1853, Early Adventures in Persia, Susiana, and Babylonia 1887, and his Autobiography and Letters 1902.