Claude-Joseph Désiré Charnay (2 May 1828 – 24 October 1915)[1] was a French traveller and archaeologist notable both for his explorations of Mexico and Central America, and for the pioneering use of photography to document his discoveries.

In 1850, he became a teacher in New Orleans, Louisiana, a partly French-speaking community, and there became acquainted with John Lloyd Stephens's books of travel in Yucatan.

[3] He returned to Mexico in 1864, with the French troops of Emperor Maximilian,[4] in South America, particularly Chile and Argentina, in 1875; and in Java and Australia during 1878.

[2] Charnay was aware of new legislation in Mexico that attempted to protect its archeological sites and treasures, and obtained a license from the government in July 1880.

He elaborated a theory of Toltec migrations and considered the prehistoric Mexican to be of Asiatic origin, because of supposed observed similarities to Japanese architecture, Chinese decoration, Malaysian language and Cambodian dress, and so on.