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Boëthius, Carl Axel, 1889-1969 (archaeologist)

 Person

Biography

Boëthius was born in Arvika, Sweden. He attended Uppsala University, completing his PhD in 1918 and teaching at the university from 1921-1925, during which period he also excavated at Mycenae. In 1925 he became the first director of the Swedish Institute in Rome, until July 1957. His academic specialism was Etruscan archaeology and he was professor at Gotëborg University from 1934 until 1955, when he retired to Italy.

Found in 61 Collections and/or Records:

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Aegisthus: doorway before excavation, 1921

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Reference Code: GBR/3437/MCNE/3/1/4/3
Scope and Contents

Boëthius wrote on v. in pencil, '3) The tholos EAST from Klytaimnestra. This foto doesn't show clear enough the difference between the modern supporting-pillar and the poros'.

Dates: 1921
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Atreus: 'Big stone' excavation image 2, 1921

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Reference Code: GBR/3437/MCNE/3/1/10/7
Scope and Contents

Boëthius wrote in pencil on v., 'MYK June 1921. Dromos, Atreus' tholos 2) Dig below the big stone SOUTH WALL'.

Dates: 1921
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Atreus: 'Big stone' excavation image 3, 1921

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Reference Code: GBR/3437/MCNE/3/1/10/8
Scope and Contents

Boethius wrote in pencil on verso, 'MYK June 1921. Dromos, Atreus' tholos 3) Dig below the big stone NORTH wall'.

Dates: 1921
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Atreus: 'Big stone' excavation image 4, 1921

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Reference Code: GBR/3437/MCNE/3/1/10/9
Scope and Contents

Boëthius wrote in pencil on v., 'MYK June 1921. Dromos, Atreus' tholos 4) view against the door of the tholos showing the rock edge c:a 5m w. from the modern iron gate'.
The view is angled towards the north wall of the dromos.

Dates: 1921
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Atreus: 'Big stone' excavation image 5, 1921

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Reference Code: GBR/3437/MCNE/3/1/10/10
Scope and Contents

Boëthius wrote in pencil on v., 'MYK June 1921. Dromos, Atreus tholos 5) Trial outside the dromos, close by the low east (entrance) wall. View against S. showing the white clayline c:a 1m below surface and the powdered-rock-fill below it, in which sherds were found'.

Dates: 1921
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Atreus: doorway viewed from south side of dromos, 1921

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Reference Code: GBR/3437/MCNE/3/1/10/2
Scope and Contents From the File:

The ‘Treasury of Atreus’ belongs to the third group of tholoi at Mycenae, as categorised by A. J. B. Wace, dating to ca. 1300 BC. A. J. B. Wace and his team made preliminary, exploratory tests in 1920 and 1921 to establish the date of the tomb. A full investigation of the edifice, and an excavation of the ‘bothros’ (waste pit) that bisected the dromos, was carried out in 1939.

Dates: 1921
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Atreus: doorway viewed from the interior of the tomb, 1921

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Reference Code: GBR/3437/MCNE/3/1/10/3
Scope and Contents From the File:

The ‘Treasury of Atreus’ belongs to the third group of tholoi at Mycenae, as categorised by A. J. B. Wace, dating to ca. 1300 BC. A. J. B. Wace and his team made preliminary, exploratory tests in 1920 and 1921 to establish the date of the tomb. A full investigation of the edifice, and an excavation of the ‘bothros’ (waste pit) that bisected the dromos, was carried out in 1939.

Dates: 1921
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Atreus: south pillar base, 1921

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Reference Code: GBR/3437/MCNE/3/1/10/5
Scope and Contents From the File:

The ‘Treasury of Atreus’ belongs to the third group of tholoi at Mycenae, as categorised by A. J. B. Wace, dating to ca. 1300 BC. A. J. B. Wace and his team made preliminary, exploratory tests in 1920 and 1921 to establish the date of the tomb. A full investigation of the edifice, and an excavation of the ‘bothros’ (waste pit) that bisected the dromos, was carried out in 1939.

Dates: 1921
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Atreus: south pillar base close up, 1921-06

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Reference Code: GBR/3437/MCNE/3/1/10/4
Scope and Contents From the File:

The ‘Treasury of Atreus’ belongs to the third group of tholoi at Mycenae, as categorised by A. J. B. Wace, dating to ca. 1300 BC. A. J. B. Wace and his team made preliminary, exploratory tests in 1920 and 1921 to establish the date of the tomb. A full investigation of the edifice, and an excavation of the ‘bothros’ (waste pit) that bisected the dromos, was carried out in 1939.

Dates: 1921-06
 File

Boëthius II, 1922

 File
Reference Code: GBR/3437/MCNE/1/1/16
Scope and Contents

1921-1922 excavation notebook, continuing on from Boëthius I, Ia, II and III, compiled by C. A. Boëthius. Covers Chamber Tombs 524, 532, 523, 521 and 516. Pasted-in annotated photographs of pots from Tombs 524 (f.9v.) and 532 (f. 16v.) and four pasted-in fold-out plans of Tomb 532.
Includes a section entitled 'for publication' with notes and sketched plans for Tombs 516, 521 and 523.

Dates: 1922
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Boëthius III, 1921-1922

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Reference Code: GBR/3437/MCNE/1/1/8
Scope and Contents

Excavation Notebook for 1921-1922 compiled by C. A. Boëthius on the exploratory expedition [19 June 1922] to the summit of Hagios Elias and excavations in the Palace and Chamber Tombs 524, 533, 532. Sketch plans and sketches of finds and tombs throughout. Indexed in Boëthius IV. Dates are given but without a year, Boëthius was present in Mycenae during the excavation seasons of 1921 and 1922.

Dates: 1921-1922
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Boëthius IV Index P. 42 Seq, 1921-1922

 File
Reference Code: GBR/3437/MCNE/1/1/9
Scope and Contents Excavation Notebook for 1921-1922 compiled by C. A. Boëthius on Chamber Tomb 533 and the Palace (Pithos area). Many entries were crossed out, including a list of tools and equipment brought from Kalkani hill (Chamber Tombs excavation area). Includes section drawings of objects and sketch plans.List of artefacts packed up from Chamber Tombs 525, 515, 514, 523, 522, 529 for transfer to Nauplia Museum, dated July 15, on f. 17 r & v.Index to the notebooks entitled 'Boëthius I, Ia,...
Dates: 1921-1922
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Clytemnestra: east pillar base, 1922

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Reference Code: GBR/3437/MCNE/3/1/9/5
Scope and Contents

Boëthius wrote on v. in pencil, 'East pillar basis [sic] Klytai'.

Dates: 1922
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Clytemnestra: view from above looking into the chamber from the north, 1922

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Reference Code: GBR/3437/MCNE/3/1/9/4
Scope and Contents

Boëthius wrote on v. in pencil, '9. Klytai. from N'.

Dates: 1922
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Cyclopean tomb: view of it embedded in the landscape and foliage, 1921

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Reference Code: GBR/3437/MCNE/3/1/2/2
Scope and Contents

On v. Boëthuis wrote in pencil, '1) The Cyclopean tholos (The falling tholos w. from Panagia church and the Panagia grave, near the small perfect tholos)'.

Dates: 1921
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Epano Phournos: doorway, 1922

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Reference Code: GBR/3437/MCNE/3/1/3/2
Scope and Contents

On v. in pencil Boëthius wrote, '2. The Panagia Tholos'. This has been crossed out and a later hand corrects it to 'Epano Phournos Tomb'.

Dates: 1922
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Genii tomb: dromos and doorway in deep shadow, 1922

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Reference Code: GBR/3437/MCNE/3/1/8/1
Scope and Contents

Boëthius wrote on v. in pencil, '14a. The Small Perfect'.

Dates: 1922
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Genii tomb: dromos and doorway with less shadow, 1922

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Reference Code: GBR/3437/MCNE/3/1/8/2
Scope and Contents

Boëthius wrote on v. in pencil, 'The Small Perfect Tholos'.

Dates: 1922
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Greek workman Manuli excavating the dromos of a chamber tomb, 1921-06

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Reference Code: GBR/3437/MCNE/3/1/1/23
Scope and Contents Boëthius wrote on v. in pencil, 'Manuli MYK June 1921'.'Manuli' is an unusual diminutive of a forename in modern Greek. It may be that this is a portrait of Manoles Chatzipetrou of Naxos. His name is written with an omega in Greek and it may have been transcribed by Boethius with an 'u'. Manoles is singled out for mention in Wace, A. J. B. (1923). § VI.—The Campaign of 1923. The Annual of the British School at Athens, 25, 5–8, p. 5, 'a veteran digger, who has worked for many years at...
Dates: 1921-06
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Initial sketch plans of Tomb 516, 1921-1922

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Reference Code: GBR/3437/MCNE/2/2/1/27
Scope and Contents

Part i: sketch plan of Tomb 516 entitled 'General Plan, indicating the chief objects found in the chamber'. Scale Quarter Inch = 10 cm.
Part ii: sketch plan of pit along west wall in Tomb 516, initialed by C. A. Boëthius.

Dates: 1921-1922
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Kato Phournos: view of doorway and wall from within chamber, 1921

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Reference Code: GBR/3437/MCNE/3/1/6/3
Scope and Contents

Boëthius wrote on v. in pencil, '6. The Oleander tholos'. Another hand wrote below it in pencil, 'Kato Phornos tomb'.

Dates: 1921
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Kato Phournos: view out onto surrounding landscape from top of chamber wall, 1921

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Reference Code: GBR/3437/MCNE/3/1/6/4
Scope and Contents

Boëthius wrote on v. in pencil, '7) Mycenae from the Oleander tholos'. Another hand wrote underneath in pencil, 'view from Kato Phournos tomb'.

Dates: 1921
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Letter from Axel Boëthius re AJBW's discovery of a tomb, 1952-07-29

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Reference Code: GBR/3437/AJBW/2/1/2/10
Scope and Contents

Part i: Letter from Axel Boëthius, celebrating what he perceives as AJBW's recent discovery of a tomb (possibly Grave Circle B, excavated by the Greek Archaeological Service and to which AJBW correctly never laid claim). Boëthius discusses issues about painter's work and the lack of practical insight in previous scholarship. He details his plans for the next months and invites AJBW to Rome.
Part ii: Photograph depicting a Christening in Sweden, with caption on the back.

Dates: 1952-07-29
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