Arlo Griffiths

Arlo Griffiths is a Professor of Southeast Asian History at the French School of the Far East (EFEO), with a focus on epigraphy, Vedic studies, and Southeast Asian languages. He trained in Indic studies at Leiden and Harvard, earning his doctorate in 2004 on the Paippalāda tradition of the Atharvaveda. His career includes lecturing at the University of Groningen and the University of Leiden, as well as teaching at the University of Lyon 3 and the EPHE in Paris.

• Active in Southeast Asian epigraphy, particularly Sanskrit, Old Khmer, Cham, and Javanese inscriptions
• Specializes in critical editions of unpublished documents and their historical analysis
• Engaged in studying tribal languages like Munda (Austroasiatic) and Pyu

His research spans medieval Buddhist monasticism, trade networks, and the intersection of religion and politics in Southeast Asia. Recent publications analyze maritime links between India and Southeast Asia, Buddhist vihāras in Campā, and the role of inscriptions in documenting cultural exchange.

Griffiths supervises PhD students at the EPHE and contributes to collaborative projects like the International Intensive Courses in Old Javanese. He resides in Lyon, France, and is affiliated with the UMR Histoire et Sources des Mondes Antiques.