A French epigrapher, archaeologist, Orientalist and diplomat and pioneer of ancient Palestinian inscription research. In 1867 he was sent to Jerusalem as translator for the French consulate. A superb philologist, his epigraphic discoveries include the Greek inscription from the Herodian period prohibiting the entrance of Gentiles into the temple court. In 1873-1874 he conducted wide-range research in the history of the Dome of the Rock and of ancient Jewish burial customs in Jerusalem on behalf of the PEF. As did Conrad Schick, he documented all that he observed, without actually excavating.