Linant de Bellefonds, (Bey and Pasha) Louis Maurice Adolphe

French geographer, explorer, artist, and engineer. Born, Lorient 1799. Died, Cairo 1883. Initially trained with the intention of serving in the Navy, and after passing the necessary exam in 1814, he was sent to help with the charting and surveying of the Canadian and USA coastlines in 1815. He then accompanied A. Come de Forbin on a expedition to the Near East, 1817. This led in 1817 to a opportunity to make maps and drawings in Egypt required for various publications. Whilst in Cairo, he was engaged by Muhammad Ali. Then from 1819-22 he was employed by W. Bankes to accompany him as a draughtsman on several expeditions which ventured as south as Meroe, Musauwarat el-Sofra and Naga, giving him the distinction of being the first European to see these sites. He travelled even further south for the Association for Promoting the Discovery of the Interior Parts of Africa. Assisted J. F. Champollion in 1828. Published several maps of Egypt. Later he used his skills for the planning of irrigation projects and was heavily involved with the construction of the Suez Canal.

• Who Was Who in Egyptology (4th ed. 2012), 334-5.