Origins & Early Life

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. 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.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

His younger brother was the historian Theodore C. Blegen. His father was a professor at Augsburg College in Minneapolis for more than 30 years and played a major role in the Norwegian Lutheran Church of America. Blegen earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Minnesota in 1904 and started graduate studies at Yale University in 1907. In Greece, he was a fellow at the American School of Classical Studies at Athens between 1911 and 1913, during which time he worked on excavations at Locris, Corinth and Korakou.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

During World War I Blegen was involved with relief work in Bulgaria and Macedonia, receiving the Order of the Redeemer from Greece in 1919. After the war he completed his Ph.D. at Yale in 1920. He was then...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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• 1887 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1887
• January 27 (01-27) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on January 27
• 1971 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1971
• August 24 (08-24) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on August 24