Lionel David Barnett CB FBA (21 October 1871 – 28 January 1960) was an English orientalist.
[1] In 1899, he joined the British Museum as Assistant Keeper in the Department of Oriental Printed Books and Manuscripts.
He was also Professor of Sanskrit at University College, London from 1906 to 1917, founding Lecturer in Sanskrit at the School of Oriental Studies (1917–1948), Lecturer in Ancient Indian History and Epigraphy (1922–1948), and Librarian of the School (1940–1947).
In 1948, at the age of 77, he rejoined the British Museum, which was desperately short of staff, as an Assistant Keeper, remaining there until his death.
In 1932, Barnett became entirely blind in one eye and retained only partial vision in the other.