Education
He graduated in archaeology from the University of Copenhagen and taught at the University of Iceland.
anthropologist archaeologist curator politician president
He graduated in archaeology from the University of Copenhagen and taught at the University of Iceland.
Eldjárn, a teacher in Tjörn, and Sigrún Sigurhjartardóttir. In 1966-1968 he hosted a series of educational television programs on the (then new) Icelandic National Television (RÚV), in which he showed the audience some of the National Museum"s artefacts and explained their historical context. These programs became quite popular, making him a well known and respected popular figure.
This no doubt gave him the incentive needed to run in the 1968 presidential election as a politically non-affiliated candidate.
He was re-elected unopposed in 1972 and 1976. In 1980 he decided not to run for another term, wanting to devote his remaining years entirely to continuing his lifelong academic work.
President Kristján Eldjárn died following heart surgery in Cleveland, Ohio on 14 September 1982.