Northern antiquities and antiquaries in London

Description

During the eighteenth century, the Society of Antiquaries of London became a hub for antiquarianism in Britain. Minutes from the Society’s meetings record foreign visiting speakers that were invited to present on antiquities and treatises from their countries. For example, in November 1786, Grímur Jónsson Thorkelín visited London and presented four volumes of “Icelandic Antiquities”, as well as an impression of the same Danish horns that became the subject of Adam Oehlenschläger’s poem Guldhornene in 1802. Using newly digitised copies made available by the Society of Antiquaries of London, this paper presents some findings from the minutes about what kind of communication transpired between British and Nordic antiquaries between the years 1749 to 1823, and how this communication was mediated. The aim is to contribute to a wider understanding of the material exchanges and transnational collaborations that underpinned the emerging vogue for Northern antiquities. As such, the paper argues that the Society of Antiquaries of London enabled a wide-ranging collaboration, both through travel and letter-writing, that came to shape the image of the ancient Northern past.

Period	2024 Aug 22
Event title	British Society for Eighteenth Century Studies - Postgraduate and Early-Career Researcher Conference: Communication and Exchange
Event type	Conference
Location	Uppsala, SwedenShow on map
Degree of Recognition	International