Axel W. Persson

Axel Waldemar Persson (1 June 1888 – 7 May 1951) was a Swedish archaeologist. He was professor of classical archaeology and ancient history at Uppsala University and conducted excavations of sites in Greece and in Asia Minor.

Biography Persson was born at Kvidinge in Skåne County, Sweden. He studied at Lund University, as well as at the universities of Göttingen and Berlin. He conducted a study trip to France, Italy, Greece and Asia Minor during 1920–21.

He excavated sites in the Argolid in Greece, including Asine, Dendra and Midea, as well as other sites in Asia Minor including Milas and Labraunda, searching for the origins of the Linear B writing system. In the summer of 1926, he excavated an unpaved tholos tomb at Dendrá in Argolis The finds were added to the National Archaeological Museum, Athens. In 1935, he excavated a prehistoric hill at Gencik Tepe in south-eastern Anatolia region of Turkey and Hellenistic chamber tombs at Milas. In 1937, he returned to Dendrá where he excavated a chamber tomb.

Personal life He was married during 1913 to Victoria Mirea (1887–1958), He died during 1951 and was buried at Uppsala gamla kyrkogård.