Erik Sjöqvist

Erik Sjöqvist (15 July 1903 – 16 July 1975) was a Swedish archaeologist and educator. Sjöqvist conducted archaeological fieldwork in Cyprus while participating in Swedish Cyprus Expedition. He was director of Swedish Institute at Rome and professor of classical archaeology at Princeton University. He is most commonly associated with development of the excavations of the archaeological sites at Morgantina in Sicily.

Biography Sjöqvist was born at Ronneby in Blekinge County, Sweden. He was the son of John Sjöqvist, professor of medical chemistry and pharmacy at the Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm. He was the elder brother of neurological surgeon Carl Olof Sjøqvist (1901–1954). He studied classical archeology under Axel W. Persson (1888–1951), professor of classical archaeology and ancient history at Uppsala University.

From 1927 until 1931, he participated in the Swedish Cyprus Expedition. The expedition was intended to make a complete study of the ancient culture of Cyprus. The expedition was led by Einar Gjerstad. Erik Sjöqvist and Alfred Westholm led most of the excavations.

In 1940, he succeeded Einar Gjerstad as director of the Swedish Institute in Rome. Sjöqvist stayed in Rome until 1948. Sjöqvist joined the Princeton faculty in 1951 where he served one year as a visiting professor of Classical Archeology. He was subsequently offered a permanent position as a professor at Princeton, a position that lasted until 1969.

His arrival at Princeton was heralded by the Princeton administration as a ripe opportunity for a revival of interest in Classical studies. In 1955, Sjöqvist was responsible for the inception of the Princeton sponsored excavations of the city of Morgantina in Sicily. The excavations were intended to serve as training for graduate students in the Princeton University, Department of Art and Archaeology. Sjöqvist and Prof. Richard Stillwell jointly directed excavations at the site from 1955 to 1963 and again from 1966 to 1967.

Personal life He was married to Gurli Sjöqvist. Sjöqvist also served as adviser to the Swedish Crown Prince, and later King, Gustaf VI Adolf. Erik Sjöqvist died at Stockholm during 1975.