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Oluf Rygh (1833, Verdal - 1899, Telemark) was a Norwegian archeologist, philologist and historian. He is recognized as the founder of professional archeology in Norway. He is best known for creation of Norske Gaardnavne (English: Norwegian Farm Names), which is a 19 volume set of books based on a manuscript prepared from 1897 to 1924. The book contains a standardized notation, information on pronunciation, historical forms and the etymology for recorded farm, estate and manor names in Norway, which became the standard for place names in Norway. It inspired similar research in Sweden and Denmark.^[1]

Rygh led excavation of the Tune ship

Rygh was professor of history at the University of Oslo between 1866 and 1875. He was director of Oldsaksamlingen (which subsequently became the Museum of Cultural History) from 1862 and professor of Nordic archeology from 1875 - the first professor of archeology at any Scandinavian university. His led excavation of the Tune ship 1867. His work Norske Oldsaker (Norwegian Antiquities) published in 1885 is recognized for its detailed illustrations and even today is still a significant reference source.

He was the older brother of Evald and Karl Ditlev Rygh.^[2]

Bibliography

His more significant publications include^[1]:

• 1869 – Om den ældre Jernalder i Norge (On the Older Iron Age in Norway)
• 1877 – Om den yngre Jernalder i Norge(On the Younger Iron Age in Norway)
• 1885 – Norske Oldsaker (Norwegian Antiquities)
• 1897 – Norske Gaardnavne (a 19 volume set on "Norwegian Farm Names" parts of which were completed for publication after his death by other researchers)

References