The first big acquisition Heinrich Schliemann, Ingvald Undset and Oscar II's Gifts to the Early Ethnographical Museum in Oslo

†Axel Seeberg
2017 CLARA Classical Art and Archaeology  
In 1887 King Oscar II of Sweden and Norway donated 18 ancient objects 'that had been given to him by Schliemann' to the then Ethnographical Museum (now the Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo). In this, his very last article, the late Axel Seeberg wrote about these objects and discussed the descriptions and the provenances given to them in the first museum inventory list. Many of the objects have already been published (some of them in CVA Norway These are the words of Dr Yngvar
more » ... en (1877-1916) in his account of the first fifty years in the history of what was then the Ethnographical Museum of the University of Oslo, now part of the Museum of Cultural History. He went on: King Oscar II thus demonstrated his good will and interest in the museum, followed in time by many similar gestures. Not only did he personally contribute valuable gifts, his good will aided the museum indirectly also: royal protection generated a popular favour resulting in many of its more valuable acquisitions. Future ethnographical studies in this country will always remain deeply in his debt. 2
doi:10.5617/clara.v2i0.4835 fatcat:4lvwrua6rrhu7e5og2rln2s3zi