Charles Masson
British East India Company soldier and explorer (1800-1853) · Historical Figures · Died at 53
Charles Masson (1800-1853) was the pseudonym of James Lewis, a British East India Company soldier, independent explorer and pioneering archaeologist and numismatist. He was the first European to discover the ruins of Harappa near Sahiwal in Punjab, now in Pakistan.
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A typical day, 30 days to 23 August 2026
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About this person
He found the ancient city of Alexandria in the Caucasus dating to Alexander the Great. He unlocked the now-extinct script known as Kharoshthi. At the time of the 1838 First Anglo-Afghan War, Masson had spent more time in Afghanistan than any other British subject. He was a minority voice critical of the invasion and accurately predicted it would be a disaster for the British Empire.
