Thomsen, Christian Jurgensen

Thomsen, Christian Jurgensen

 

Born Dec. 29,1788, in Copenhagen; died there May 21,1865. Danish archaeologist.

A founder of the Museum of Northern Antiquities (now part of the National Museum) in Copenhagen, Thomsen became its director in 1849. He was the first to present archaeological, evidence in support of the Three-Period System—the Stone Age, Bronze Age, and Iron Age. Thomsen’s work on the subject was published in 1836 in his Guide to Northern Antiquities (English translation published 1848).