Reland, Adrian

RELAND (REELAND, RELANT), ADRIAN: Dutch orientalist and geographer; b. at Rijp (a village near Alkmaar, 20 m. n.n.w. of Amsterdam) July 17, 1676; d. at Utrecht Feb. 5, 1718. He was educated at Amsterdam (1686–88) and Utrecht (1688–93), completing his studies at Leyden. In 1699 he was appointed professor of physics and metaphysics at Harderwijk, but in the following year was called to Utrecht as professor of oriental languages and sacred antiquities, retaining this chair until his death. His studies ranged over classical philology, Persian and Arabic literature, the languages of India and Farther India, China, Japan, and South America. He devoted special attention, however, to the Bible and cognate subjects. His writings of theological interest were as follows: Analecta Rabbinica (Utrecht, 1702); Antiquitates sacræ veterum Hebræorum (1708); Dissertationes quinque de nummis veterum Hebræorum qui ab inscriptarum literarum forma Samaritani appellantur (1709); Palæstina ex monumentis veteribus illustrata (1714); and De spoliis templi Hierosoymitani in arcu Titiano (1716), as well as a number of essays in his Dissertationes miscellaneæ (3 parts, 1706–08). The Palæstina is still indispensable. He was the author also of the De religione Mohammedica libri duo (Utrecht, 1705; Eng. transl. by A. Bobovius, 3 parts, London, 1712).

(H. Guthe.)

Bibliography: Niceron, Mémoires, i. 339–349, x. 62–63; K. Burmann, Trajectum eruditum, pp. 293–301, Utrecht, 1738; L. G. Michaud, Biographie universelle, xxxvii. 308–311, Paris, 1824 sqq.; A. J. Van der Aa, Biographisch Woordenboek der Nederlanden, x. 45–47, Haarlem, 1874; R. Röhricht, Bibliotheca geographica Palastinæ, pp. 296–297, Berlin, 1890.