J. R. Aspelin

Johannes Reinhold Aspelin (August 1, 1842 – May 29, 1915) was a Finnish archaeologist and professor who was the first state archaeologist of Finland, as well as the first professor of archaeology in Finland. He was a leading figure in the establishment of the National Museum of Finland.

His range of expertise was mainly Scandinavia and the Ural region.

Early life

Aspelin was born on August 1, 1842, in Messukylä. His father was a priest and the family moved around Ostrobothnia as he moved to different churches. It was perhaps his Ostrobothnian upbringing that encouraged his interest in archaeology, as many ancient artifacts were being found by clergymen at the time. Aspelin studied history at the University of Helsinki in the mid-1860s, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts in 1866 and a Master of Arts in 1869. Aspelin travelled to Sweden and became acquainted with Oscar Montelius and his research in Scandinavian antiquities. Returning, he wanted to research Finland's ancient history.

Career

He graduated from the University of Moscow and conducted excavations in Russia where Finns may have lived. He then traveled to Germany, France, Poland, and the Baltics to research Finnish communities there as well. In 1875, with this research, he published his first dissertation, Suomalais-ugrilaisen muinaistutkinnon alkeita (English: Fundamentals of Finno-Ugric Antiquities). Within the book, he supported Matthias Castrén's idea that Finns came from the Altai Mountains and the steppes of the Yenisey, and migrated west towards the Urals during the Bronze Age. He also obtained a licentiate in 1876 and a PhD in 1877.