Le Cambodge. I: Le Royaume Actuel. II: Les Provinces Siamoises. III: Le Groupe d'Angkor et l'Histoire. por Aymonier, Étienne François - 1900-04

Paris: Ernest Leroux, 1900-04. First edition, three volumes, 4to, pp.xxiii, [1], 478, 88 illustrations, 14 maps; 481, [1], errata leaf, 84 illustrations, 10 maps; 818, frontispiece, 59 illustrations, map. This set is heavy and may incur additional shipping charges. A very good set bound in later buckram, leather title labels on spine. Minor spotting to prelims. Etienne Aymonier (1844-1929), a French naval officer, was sent to Cochinchina in 1869. In 1871 he was appointed as one of the first Inspectors of indigenous affairs. He became deeply interested in Cambodian culture, studied the Cambodian language, and promoted the exploration of Khmer sites, particularly Angkor, begun by Delaporte and Harmand. He was appointed Resident at Phnom-Penh, 1879-81. In 1881 was charged with an archaeological mission to unexplored parts of Cambodia. Aymonier was the first archaeologist to carry out a comprehensive survey of the remains of Khmer civilization in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and southern Vietnam. This magnificent set, his magnum opus, contains the fruits of his research. In 1888 he returned to Paris to organise the Indochina section of the Universal Exhibition. He ended his career as Director of l'École colonial.