Fransız asıllı tüccar, doğabilimci, doktor, arkeolojik eser avcısı ve kral XIV. Louis'nin arkeolojik eser keşfiyle görevlendirilmiş özel delegesi Paul Lucas (1664-1737), Rouen'de doğar. Genç yaşta seyahat etmeye başlar. İlk seyahatinde (1688-1696) değerli taş ticareti yaptığı varsayılmaktadır. 1699'dan 1703'e kadar tüm doğu Akdeniz'de (Mısır, Kıbrıs, Suriye) ve İran'a seyahat eder. 1705 yılının Ekim ayından 1708'e dek Yunanistan'ın güney ve kuzey kesimlerini, Ege adalarını, Anadolu'yu ve Kutsal Yerleri gezer; amacı hep arkeolojik eser ve yazıtlar bulmaktır. Sadece bu yolculuğundan Fransa'ya dönüşünde elinde 1.800 adet eski sikke, 22 tane antik elyazması ve 52 adet yazıt vardır. Bunların tümü Güneş Kral ve kendisine tahsis edilmişti. Üçüncü seyahatini 1714-1717 yıllarında gerçekleştirir. İstanbul, Anadolu, Suriye, Filistin ve Mısır'a gider, 1723'te ise Doğu'ya dördüncü seyahatine çıkar.

Sonuncu seyahati hariç bütün gezilerinin seyahatnamesini kendisi yayınlamış, ancak sonuncusu Güzel Sanatlar Akademisinin onurlu üyeleri Baudelot de Nerval, Étienne Fourmont ve abbé (başrahip) Banier tarafından kaleme alınmıştır. Nadir konular işleyen ve bol resimlerle yayınlanan seyahatnameleri bütün Avrupalı okurlarda derin izlenimler bırakır ve birçok yeni baskı yapar, ayrıca ingilizce ve almancaya da çevrilir. Paul Lucas 73 yaşındayken İspanya'da seyahat ettiği sırada ölür.

Yazan: İoli Vingopoulou

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  Volcanic rocks, possibly at Göreme valley, Cappadocia.

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  Monuments on the outskirts of Caesarea.

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  Title page.

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  The ancient theater of Sagalassos.

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  View of Damascus.

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  Hieroglyphics from the Temple of Isis in Behbeit El-Hagar, Egypt.

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  The Obelisk of Cleopatra in Alexandria.

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  Map of Lower Egypt.

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  The Obelisk of Senusret (Sesostris) I, or Al-Masalla Obelisk, in Cairo.

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  View and plan of Nilometer, device to measure the height of the waters of the river Nile, on Rhoda island in Cairo.

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  Section of Cheops Pyramid in Giza.

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  Monument at Qus (anc. Apollonopolis Parva) in Egypt.

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  Map of Asia Minor.

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  Hatching ovens in today's El-Mahalla El-Kubra region, on the Delta of the Nile.

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  Pompey's Pillar, or Triumphal pillar of Diocletian, in Alexandria.

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  Joseph's Well (or Bir Yusuf) at the Saladin Citadel of Cairo.

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  Cheops Pyramid in Giza.

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  Relief with hieroglyphics from Giza.

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  Title page of the second volume of the book.

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  Pyramids in Upper Egypt.

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  View and floor plan of the ancient Egyptian labyrinth mentioned by Herodotus, near ancient Crocodilopolis (today Fayum).

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  Views of portico in ancient Antinopolis (today Sheikh Ibada), in Egypt.

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  Plan of temple at the remains of ancient Hermonthis (today Armant) in Egypt.

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  Temple at the remains of ancient Hermonthis (today Armant) in Egypt.

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  The Temple of Hathor at Denderah, Egypt.

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  Galata Tower, Istanbul.

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  Egg weighing 200 pounds exhibited at the market of Istanbul, part of the celebrations of the birth of Sultan's daughter.

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  The ancient city Tyrrha, Asia Minor.

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  Ancient funerary and votive steles from Izmir.

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  Aqueduct in Aydin, Asia Minor.

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  Datura stramonium from Burdur. Hyena from Isparta, Asia Minor.

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  Hieroglyphics from the Temple of Isis in Behbeit El-Hagar, Egypt.

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  Canopic jars from the necropolis of Abusir, near Cairo.

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  Pilgrims departing from Cairo to Mecca.

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  Reliefs from the sacrificial altar and portico of the ancient Egyptian labyrinth mentioned by Herodotus, near ancient Crocodilopolis (today Fayum).

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  Urn from Denderah, Egypt.

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  Fish of Nile: "Cachouc" and perch (lates niloticus).

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  Hieroglyphics from the Temple of Isis in Behbeit El-Hagar, Egypt.

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  Title page.

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  Map of the regions of the Eastern Mediterranean visited by Paul Lucas, drawn by Guillaume Delisle.

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  Seals from the lake of Iznik, Asia Minor.

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  View of Ankara.

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  Reaping tools. Plowing with device drawn by oxen, Eastern Thrace, possibly Lüleburgaz area.

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  Funerary monument, possibly at Termessos, Asia Minor.

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  Paul Lucas and his travelling companions fend off a band of Turkoman bandits near Karapınar, Asia Minor.

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  Ancient structure on the outskirts of Tarsus, built by giants according to local tradition.

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  Ancient inscriptions from Ankara.

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  Inscription in ancient Greek from Ankara.

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  Inscriptions in ancient Greek from Konya (38 - 40), Selymbria (41), Lüleburgaz (42), and Plovdiv (43 - 45).

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  Funerary inscription from the church of Hagios Dimitrios in Thessaloniki. Inscriptions from a church in Thessaloniki (50 -51). Inscription from Lamia (52-53).

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  Inscription in ancient Greek from Andros island (54). Inscription in ancient Greek from Konya (55-63). Inscriptions in ancient Greek from Adana (64).

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  Title page of the second volume of the edition.

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  Plan of the Aedicule in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem. The first room of the Aedicule (chapel of the Angel's Stone), seen from the entrance to the Aedicule.

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  External view of the chapel of the Aedicule (Holy Sepulchre and chapel of the Angel's Stone). Section of the two champers of the Aedicule (Holy Sepulchre and chapel of the Angel's Stone).

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  Inscription from Acre. Crusader coats of arms.

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  Map of Fayum region, Egypt.

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  Egyptian obelisks.

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  Egyptian pyramids.

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  Urn.

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  Pyramid made of human sculls.