Blegen biography

This book brilliantly shows how archival research can enhance the histories of people we thought we knew. In the opening essay, “On His Feet and Ready to Dig: Carl William Blegen,” Davis and Vogeikoff-Brogan point out that Carl Blegen (1887–1971), the towering figure of American archaeology in Greece, has had no biographical treatment. This is surprising, for Blegen served in Macedonia with the American Red Cross (1918), assisted refugees after the destruction of Smyrna (1922), and worked with the Office of Strategic Services after WWII. He excavated at Corinth (1911), Korakou (1915), Troy (1932–1938), and Pylos (1939, 1952–1969). He established ceramic sequences for the Greek Bronze Age that would remain fundamental. The morning of the first day at Pylos he discovered a huge cache of Linear B tablets. It is not surprising that Blegen was awarded the first Gold Medal by the AIA (1965). Few archaeologists after his time have had the same impact.

Major sources for this book are the personal papers of Blegen and his “family” in the archives

Carl Blegen

ARCHAEOLOGIST

1887 - 1971

Carl Blegen

Carl William Blegen (January 27, 1887 – August 24, 1971) was an American archaeologist who worked at the site of Pylos in Greece and Troy in modern-day Turkey. Read more on Wikipedia

Since 2007, the English Wikipedia page of Carl Blegen has received more than 88,742 page views. His biography is available in 18 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 17 in 2019). Carl Blegen is the 120th most popular archaeologist (down from 100th in 2019), the 7,843rd most popular biography from United States (down from 6,687th in 2019) and the 13th most popular American Archaeologist.

Memorability Metrics

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Among ARCHAEOLOGISTS

Among archaeologists, Carl Blegen ranks 120 out of 151. Before him are Meave Leakey, Ekrem Akurgal, Robert T. Bakker, Zakaria Goneim, Grafton Elliot Smith, and Klaus Schmidt. After him are Stith Thompson, Karel Absolon

Carl Blegen

American archaeologist (1887–1971)

Carl Blegen

Photographed in 1937

Born

Carl William Blegen


(1887-01-27)January 27, 1887

Minneapolis, Minnesota

DiedAugust 24, 1971(1971-08-24) (aged 84)

Athens, Greece

Alma materYale University
OccupationClassical archaeologist
Known forTroy; excavations conducted by the University of Cincinnati, 1932–1938 (1950–58); The Palace of Nestor at Pylos in western Messenia (1966–73)
Spouse
Partner(s)Ida Thallon Hill, Bert Hodge Hill

Carl William Blegen (January 27, 1887 – August 24, 1971) was an American archaeologist who worked at the site of Pylos in Greece and Troy in modern-day Turkey. He directed the University of Cincinnati excavations of the mound of Hisarlik, the site of Troy, from 1932 to 1938.[1]

Background

Blegen was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the eldest of six children born to Anna Regine and John H. Blegen, both of whom had emigrated from Lillehammer, Norway. His younger brother was the historian Theodore C. Blegen. His father wa

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