Curtius, Ernst

Curtius, Ernst

▪ German archaeologist
born Sept. 2, 1814, Free City of Lübeck
died July 11, 1896, Berlin

      German archaeologist and historian who directed the excavation of Olympia, the most opulent and sacred religious shrine of ancient Greece and site of the original Olympic Games. In addition to revealing the layout of this vast sanctuary, the excavation also unearthed the only major surviving sculpture by Praxiteles, “Hermes Carrying the Infant Dionysus.”

      After travels in Greece (1836–40), Curtius was appointed professor at the University of Berlin (1844), where he published Griechische Geschichte, 3 vol. (1857–67; The History of Greece, 5 vol., 1868–73). In 1874 he concluded an agreement with the Greek government granting the German Archaeological Institute the exclusive right to excavate the site of Olympia, thus opening the age of large-scale excavation in Greece. Under his direction nearly all of Olympia was uncovered (1875–81), and model techniques of excavation and stratigraphic study were developed. Discoveries included the temple of Hera, the great altar of Zeus, and the location of the Olympic stadium. Most of the superb sculptures unearthed had been damaged and fragmented, but a few were in surprisingly fine condition. He found many coins and inscriptions, which had considerable historical value. Curtius' writings include Olympia, die Ergebnisse der . . . Ausgrabung, 4 vol. (1890–97; “Olympia, Excavation Results”), published jointly with his assistant, Friedrich Adler.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Curtius, Ernst Robert — (1886 1956)    historian and cultural critic; best known for his 1932 publication Deutscher Geist in Gefahr (German spirit in danger). Born in the Alsatian city of Thann, he was grandson to a famous historian and archeologist. He profited from a… …   Historical dictionary of Weimar Republik

  • CURTIUS, ERNST —    a German archæologist and philosopher, born at Lübeck; travelled in Greece and Asia Minor; contributed much by his researches to the history of Greece, and of its legends and works of art; his jubilee as a professor was celebrated in 1891,… …   The Nuttall Encyclopaedia

  • Curtius, Ernst Robert — ► (1886 1956) Filólogo y crítico alemán. Su obra Literatura europea y Edad Media latina (1948) refleja el influjo clásico en el período medieval …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Ernst Curtius — (* 2. September 1814 in Lübeck; † 11. Juli 1896 in Berlin) war ein deutscher klassischer Archäologe und Althistoriker. Inhaltsverzeichnis 1 Leben 2 Schriften 3 Literatur …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Ernst Curtius — Naissance 1814 Lübeck Décès 1896 Berlin Nationalité …   Wikipédia en Français

  • CURTIUS (E. R.) — CURTIUS ERNST ROBERT (1886 1956) S’il fallait écrire l’histoire de l’idée de l’unité européenne, Ernst Robert Curtius y tiendrait une place éminente. En effet, ce savant philologue et critique allemand rêve, depuis la Première Guerre mondiale,… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Ernst Curtius — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Ernst Curtius Ernst Curtius (Lübeck, 1814 Berlín, 1896) fue un historiador y arqueólogo alemán. Dirigió excavaciones en Olimpia (Grecia). Fue el descubridor del Hermes de …   Wikipedia Español

  • Curtius [2] — Curtius, 1) Ernst, Archäolog und Geschichtschreiber, geb. 2. Sept. 1814 in Lübeck, gest. 11. Juli 1896 in Berlin, studierte Philologie, begleitete 1837 Professor Brandis nach Athen und von hier seinen Lehrer O. Müller durch Griechenland, hielt… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Curtius [2] — Curtĭus, Ernst, Altertumsforscher, geb. 2. Sept. 1814 zu Lübeck, 1844 Prof. zu Berlin und Erzieher des nachmaligen Kaisers Friedrich III., 1856 Prof. zu Göttingen, 1863 wieder in Berlin, zugleich seit 1871 Direktor des Antiquariums am königl.… …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • Curtius — Curtius, Ernst, geb. 1814 zu Lübeck, Philolog und Archäolog, bereiste Griechenland, ist jetzt Professor in Berlin; schrieb: »Peloponnesus« (2 Bde., Gotha 1851 und 52). Sein Bruder Georg C., geb. 1820, seit 1851 Professor in Prag, ist durch seine… …   Herders Conversations-Lexikon

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