Archaeology between science and popularization

Abstract

Archaeology between science and popularization

The article is an appreciation of the archaeologist Johannes Brøndsted (1890-1965) in the centennial of his birth and describes the evolution of Danish archaeology from Christian Jürgensen Thomsen (1788-1865), J.J. A. Worsaae (1821-1885) and Sophus Müller (1846- 1934) to Johannes Brøndsted. Through his pioneering work Danmarks Oldtid (The Prehistory of Denmark) from 1938-40 Brøndsted created at synthesis of Danish archaeology, at the same time scholarly and popular, and in 1941 became the first professor of archaeology at the University of Copenhagen. Four of his pupils later became professors of archaeology at Danish universities. Brøndsted thus laid the foundation of the vital developments which have occurred in Danish archaeology since the 1960s.

Jørgen Jensen