Archaeologists - India

DIGITAL SOUTH EAST ASIA LIBRARY, LONDON

Cousens, Henry (b. 13 Sep 1854; d. Tunbridge Wells, 1933).

Areas: India Notes:

• Listed as having joined Archaeological Survey Department, 16 Nov 1881; in fact a letter written by James Burgess in 1883 indicates that he had worked for the survey since 1874;
• After 1886 he supervised and trained Indian draughtsmen;
• 'Toured Northern Gujarat in 1886-7 and 1889-90, surveying and photographing.
• non-gazetted appointments until 1890;
• Archaeological Surveyor, Western India, Poona, 1 10.1890;
• Superintendent, Archaeological Survey, Bombay (Poona), 24.6.1891;
• on deputation to Hyderabad State, 1 Dec 1894-31.8.1895;
• Superintendent, Archaeological Survey, Bombay (Poona), 1.9.1895;
• Superintendent, Archaeological Survey, Western Circle (Poona),11.2.1906;
• officiating as Director General of Archaeology, Simla, 14.4.1906
• Civil engineer.
• Superintendent of the Archaeological Survey of India, Western Circles and photographed sites for the survey (particularly Gujarat).
• retired 13.9.1910, after 'three months short of 35 years service.

The Museum Mumbai:

"The priceless artefacts from the Buddhist site of Mirpurkhas, excavated by renowned archaeologist Henry Cousens in 1909 are an important part of the Museum collection."

Henry was also a photographer, photographing many archaeological sites for his Archaeological Survey of India

Also

• photographer for the British Astronomical Society's Expedition to Jeur, India, to photograph the 22 January 1898 total Solar Eclipse - some of the earliest recorded images of a solar eclipse.