Ernst Adolf Schulten

Description

Ernst Adolf Schulten (1870-1960) was born in Elberfeld, Germany, and studied ancient history, classical philology, and archaeology at the universities of Bonn, Strasbourg, and Göttingen (Gómez Gonzalo, 2015). In 1899, he travelled to Spain for the first time and became captivated by the history of pre-Roman peoples and the exploits recounted by classical authors such as Livy and Appian (Luik, 2023). This fascination led him to focus his research on Numantia, an excavation that brought him fame. In 1905, Schulten began his excavations at the Numantia site (Soria). With the authorisation of the Spanish government, the archaeologist was able to carry out his work, which aimed not only to unearth material remains but also to conduct an in-depth study of them (Gómez Gonzalo, 2015).

One of the most controversial aspects of Schulten’s career was his decision to take part of the archaeological findings to Germany. Although such practices were common at the time, they provoked criticism both in Spain and within academic circles elsewhere. Many of the artefacts removed from Numantia, including ceramic fragments, tools, and metal objects, were sent to German universities and institutions for further study. Schulten argued that his intent was to ensure more thorough research using better-equipped laboratories. However, this action was perceived by many as the plundering of Spanish heritage (Gómez Gonzalo, 2015). At the time, Spanish legal frameworks for the protection of archaeological heritage were less stringent, which facilitated the export of such items. Nevertheless, criticism mounted over the years, particularly as a significant portion of these findings never returned to Spain.

Bibliography

• GÓMEZ GONZALO, María Paz (2015): Las controversias generadas en torno a las investigaciones de Adolf Schulten en Numancia, Tesis doctoral. Universidad de Barcelona, Barcelona.
• LUIK, Martin (2023): "Adolf Schulten y sus investigaciones en Numancia (1905–1912/1927) en la época del guillerminismo", nº 64, Madrider Mitteilungen, pp. 450-469.