Einar Gjerstad

Erik Paul Einar Gjerstad ( born October 30, 1897 in Örebro, † January 8, 1988 in Lund ) was a Swedish archaeologist and historian. He is regarded as the "father of archaeological research in Cyprus ".

Life

Gjerstad studied and graduated in 1926 at the University of Uppsala. In the years 1923/1924 he took part in Greece and Cyprus in excavations in Asine ( Kastraki ). In the years 1927-1931 he was the research director of the Swedish Cyprus Expedition. In those years in Cyprus, he met the young Joan du Plat Taylor and brought them to the underwater archeology. With his colleague Erik Sjöqvist (1903-1975), Alfred West Holm (1904-1996) and the architect John Lindros (1898-1961) he published after his stay, the three-volume work, The Swedish Cyprus Expedition ( 1934-1937 ).

From 1935 to 1940 Gjerstad was director of the Swedish Institute in Rome and began his research on the history and archeology of early Rome.

From 1939 to 1957 he was Professor of Classical Studies and Ancient History at the University of Lund. Since 1957 he has had a personal research professorship. He retired in 1972.