906 - ARCHAEOLOGY - MACEDONIA. [PASHA, Abdülkerim Nadir (Chirpan, Ottoman Bulgaria, 1807–1883), military leader of the Ottoman Empire]. Set of two handwritten documents addressed to the archaeologist Léon Heuzey (1831–1922), curator of the Department of Greek and Roman Antiquities at the Louvre and curator of the Department of Oriental Antiquities. No place [Thessaloniki?], “the 4th of the month of reb-ul-akhar, year 1278” [October 9, 1861]. 1 p. and 1/2 p., in-plano and in-folio. Tears with missing text along the left margin, affecting the beginning of a few lines. With their French translations.

ARCHAEOLOGY - MACEDONIA. [PASHA, Abdülkerim Nadir (Chirpan, Ottoman Bulgaria, 1807–1883), military leader of the Ottoman Empire]. Set of two handwritten documents addressed to the archaeologist Léon Heuzey (1831–1922), curator of the Department of Greek and Roman Antiquities at the Louvre and curator of the Department of Oriental Antiquities. No place [Thessaloniki?], “the 4th of the month of reb-ul-akhar, year 1278” [October 9, 1861]. 1 p. and 1/2 p., in-plano and in-folio. Tears with missing text along the left margin, affecting the beginning of a few lines. With their French translations. Set of 2 letters of recommendation in Ottoman Turkish (?), written in Arabic script, addressed to the Moudir of the city of Durazzo (present-day Albania), in support of the French archaeologist Léon Heuzey, a pioneer in the discovery of ancient Macedonia, who set out to explore the sites of ancient Macedonia on the orders of Napoleon III. -“To the most illustrious and capable Bey, Mudir of Durazzo / Most Illustrious Bey, / Mr. Léon Heuzey, a subject of the glorious French government, having come to this country bearing a high-ranking order and a firman of exalted origin, having already traveled through and visited various localities, […] is currently compiling a work on the history of the ancient Romans. As this individual is of distinguished rank and worthy of respect, this cordial note has been written to urge you to show him the consideration he deserves and to provide him with all the assistance he may require.” The author of the letter, Abdülkerim Nadir Pasha (1807–1883), a prominent military figure in the Ottoman Empire, was then governor of Thessaloniki. He recommended Léon Heuzey to the moudir [prefect or director] of the city of Durazzo [present-day Albania]. The French archaeologist had indeed returned to Macedonia for a second mission, accompanied by the architect Honoré Daumet at the request of Napoleon III. The emperor wished to gather preparatory information for his history of Julius Caesar and was particularly interested in Caesar’s battlefields in the East, notably that of Pharsalus. The mission uncovered the main ancient sites in a region that had been little explored at the time and enriched the Louvre Museum with several artifacts. The results of Heuzey’s work were published in 1876 under the title *Archaeological Mission to Macedonia: Excavations and Research Conducted in This Region and in the Adjacent Parts of Thrace, Thessaly, and Epirus in the Year 1861 by Order of […] Napoleon III.’ -“To the illustrious and capable Bey, Mudir of Durazzo / Most illustrious Bey, / Mr. Léon Heuzey, a subject of the French government, has just arrived in these regions bearing a superior order and a firman, with the aim of seeking out and studying on site historical materials to help clarify certain chronological facts that will be included in a work currently being written on the history of the ancient Romans. / This gentleman, who has already visited several localities, is now undertaking to tour these surroundings. / As Mr. Léon Heuzey is of high and distinguished rank, you are hereby requested, through this affectionate note, to show him every desirable courtesy and to provide him with all the assistance he may require.” 4th of the month of Reb-ul-Akhar, 1278. 1 p. in-12. Enclosed are 2 letters in Arabic, written in brown ink on Western laid paper, with a translation written in pencil beneath the text.