Solveig Nordström facts for kids

Britt Solveig Maria Nordström (born July 12, 1923 – died January 21, 2021) was a Swedish archaeologist. She lived and worked in Spain starting in 1955.

Early Life and Studies

Solveig Nordström first studied literary history and history. She earned a Master of Philosophy degree in the early 1950s. After that, she studied Latin and Greek. This led her to become an archaeologist.

In the 1950s, most Swedish archaeologists went to Italy and Greece. But Solveig chose to travel to Spain. She arrived in the Alicante area in 1955. She was looking for signs of ancient Phoenician trading posts.

A Brave Career in Archaeology

Solveig Nordström became very important in Spanish archaeology. In the 1960s, she was studying for her doctorate degree. She earned it in 1969 from the University of Stockholm. During this time, she bravely stopped excavators from destroying the Tossal de Manises (Lucentum) site. She lay down in front of the machines to protect the area.

Solveig told the international news about what was happening. This stopped builders from continuing to dig for new buildings. Her action saved the remains of an ancient Ibero-Roman city. Because of her success, archaeologists convinced the Spanish government to buy the land. This protected the site from any future building plans.

Manuel Olcina, who directs the MARQ museum in Alicante, called Solveig the "dean of archaeology." He also praised her important work on decorated Iberian pottery. This pottery was found at the ancient Iberian town of San Fulgencio (La Escuera).

Solveig was very smart and could speak 14 languages. She was also a translator, which was amazing because she had hearing problems since she was a child. Olcina said she was "ahead of her time" and "a very brave and forward-thinking woman." This was especially true for Spain at that time. As an archaeologist, she believed that the Carthaginians had been in the Levante area of Spain. She followed the ideas of her teacher, Jose Lafuente Vidal.

Solveig Nordström later said she retired too soon. But she knew she had left behind important work. She loved working and did so until her last days. Her friend, Teresa Laroccha, confirmed this. Teresa was with Solveig just before she died. She was helping Solveig with her last article about the goddess Tanet. Solveig did not want to leave her work unfinished.

Personal Life and Tributes

Solveig Nordström lived her whole life in Benidorm, on the Costa Blanca coast. She was one of the first people to teach yoga classes in the city. This was at a time when Spain was under the Franco regime. Customs were very different from her home country of Sweden. Solveig also helped start the Centro Espirita Ana Franco in Benidorm.

In 2011, a park in Alicante was named after her. It is called Parque de la Solveig Nordström. This happened before International Women's Day. In 2016, she received another honor. A "ninot" was named after her. Ninots are huge sculptures made of cardboard. They are part of the yearly "Hoguera de Sant Juan" festival in Alicante.

Saving Lucentum

In 1955, Solveig Nordström stopped the destruction of an ancient Roman city. This city is in Alicante. She lay on the ground in front of a bulldozer. The machine was going to flatten the land for a new hotel. News of her bravery spread around the world. This site is now known to be the ancient Roman city of Lucentum. Because of her efforts, the "Lucentum" site was named an "Artistic and Historic Monument" in 1961. This gave it legal protection.

Discoveries at La Escuera

La Escuera is a site with an Iberian temple sanctuary. It dates back to the third century BC. Solveig Nordström first explored this site in 1960. After her work there, she wrote a book about her discoveries.

See also

In Spanish: Solveig Nordström para niños