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Armas Salonen

1915 – 1981

Finnish Assyriologist

AssyriologistAncient Near Eastern scholarUniversity teacher
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About Armas Salonen

Lived 1915 – 1981 (aged 66). Armas Salonen was a Finnish assyriologist, ancient Near Eastern scholar and university teacher.

Armas Immanuel Salonen (17 January 1915 – 22 October 1981) was a Finnish Assyriologist.

Salonen graduated from high school in 1933. He studied at the University of Helsinki under professor Knut Tallqvist. Having obtained his bachelor's degree in 1936, he continued his studies in Germany and later on in the US, where he joined the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago in 1947. There he participated in the Chicago Assyrian Dictionary project under professor A. Leo Oppenheim, focusing on etymological references.

Salonen received his PhD in 1950. From 1949 to 1978 he held the position of associate professor of Assyrian and Semitic Philology at the University of Helsinki. His research interests focused on the material culture and everyday life of Mesopotamia, such as its watercraft, vehicles and doors; a large part of his work consists of thematic glossaries of specialized terminology. He published the first Finnish translation of the Epic of Gilgamesh in 1943. He was also interested in the history of Persia and ancient Egypt, and had a command of Arabic. In 1957, together with Jussi Aro, he published the first Finnish translation of the Quran.

Salonen was elected member of the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters in 1950 and honorary member of the Finnish Egyptological Society in 1975.

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Assyriologist, ancient Near Eastern scholar, university teacher
Employers
University of Chicago
Awards
Commander of the Order of the Lion of Finland; Memorial medal of the Winter War; Memorial medal of the Continuation War; Commander of the Order of the Phoenix; Commander of the Order of the Great Leader; Order of the German Eagle; Order of Merit, 1st Class; Anniversary medal at the occasion of the 2500th anniversary of the founding of the Iranian Empire
Also known as
Armas Immanuel Salonen

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Armas Salonen's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Armas Salonen?

Finnish Assyriologist

When was Armas Salonen born?

Armas Salonen was born on 17 January 1915 in Iida.

When did Armas Salonen die?

Armas Salonen died on 22 October 1981 in Helsinki.

What was Armas Salonen's occupation?

Armas Salonen was an assyriologist, ancient Near Eastern scholar and university teacher.

What nationality was Armas Salonen?

Armas Salonen was Finnish.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Armas Salonen

· Wikidata: Q6090034

· DBpedia: Armas Salonen

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Armas Salonen. https://biography.guide/armas-salonen/

MLA: "Armas Salonen." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/armas-salonen/.

Chicago: "Armas Salonen." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/armas-salonen/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence

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