[INDOLOGY] Gerard Fussman

[Richard G. Salomon]

Dear colleagues,

To a considerable extent, my own career was shaped by the work of Professor
Fussman and my acquaintance with him. His publications in the late 1960-s
and succeeding decades in effect revived a somewhat moribund field of
Gandharan epigraphy, and they inspired me to continue in that field. One
detail of his work that stands out in my memory was his learned
identification of *yaṁbulima* in the reliquary inscription of Sadaṣaka and
Muṁji (see *Corpus of Kharoṣṭhī inscriptions,* no. 328) as a loan from
Greek *embolimos*, "intercalary month." This insight eventually led,
through a series of interpretations by subsequent scholars, to very
important insights on early Indian chronology (see especially Harry Falk
and Chris Bennett.,“Macedonian Intercalary Months and the Era of Azes.” *Acta
Orientalia* 70 [2009]: 197–216).

It was also, I believe, Fussman who originated the expression "Greater
Gandhara" as a term for the wide region in northwestern India and
adjoining countries which formed a semi-coherent cultural unit in the early
centuries of the Common Era. I have used this term frequently in my own
publications and have sometimes been credited, incorrectly, with having
invented it. I believe that I did credit Fussman with its invention in some
of my earlier publications, though I don't recall where exactly. In any
case, I wish to take this opportunity to clear the record, with a view to
expressing my debt to the late Professor Fussman for his great
contributions to the field of Gandharan studies..

Richard Salomon

On Fri, May 20, 2022 at 2:01 PM Arlo Griffiths via INDOLOGY <
indology at list.indology.info> wrote:

> <https://union-rationaliste.org/hommage-a-gerard-fussman/>
> <https://union-rationaliste.org/hommage-a-gerard-fussman/>
> Hommage à Gérard Fussman - Union rationaliste
> <https://union-rationaliste.org/hommage-a-gerard-fussman/>
> Disparition de Gérard Fussman, professeur honoraire du Collège de France,
> titulaire de la chaire Histoire du monde indien, de 1984 à 2011, membre de
> l'Union rationaliste. Guy Bruit lui rend hommage.
> union-rationaliste.org
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
> *From:* INDOLOGY <indology-bounces at list.indology.info> on behalf of
> Jonathan Silk via INDOLOGY <indology at list.indology.info>
> *Sent:* Sunday, May 15, 2022 8:59 PM
> *To:* Clementin Catherine <catherine.clementin-ojha at ehess.fr>
> *Cc:* INDOLOGY <indology at list.indology.info>
> *Subject:* Re: [INDOLOGY] Gerard Fussman
>
> Thank you for sharing this sad news.
>
> Prof. Fussman, while he could certainly be a difficult person at times,
> was a truly great scholar who made many really important contributions. He
> will be missed.
>
> Jonathan Silk
>
> On Sun, May 15, 2022 at 10:51 PM Clementin Catherine <
> catherine.clementin-ojha at ehess.fr> wrote:
>
> Dear List,
> Persons of his entourage have informed me that the French indologist,
> Gerard Fussman, professor at the College de France from 1984 to
> 2011, passed away in Strasbourg on May 14, 2022, a few days before his 82nd
> birthday.
> Yours,
> Catherine Clementin-Ojha
>
>
>
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>
>
> --
> J. Silk
> Leiden University
> Leiden University Institute for Area Studies, LIAS
> Matthias de Vrieshof 3, Room 0.05b
> 2311 BZ Leiden
> The Netherlands
>
> website: www.OpenPhilology.eu
> copies of my publications may be found at
> https://leidenuniv.academia.edu/JASilk
>
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>
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