Background
He was born in Verdal, and was the brother of Evald og Oluf Rygh.
anthropologist archaeologist philologist politician
He was born in Verdal, and was the brother of Evald og Oluf Rygh.
He graduated as candidate.philol.
In 1863. He was hired as a teacher at Trondheim Cathedral School in 1866, and worked as headmaster there from 1887 to 1899. As an archaeologist Rygh specialized in Norway north of Dovrefjell, especially Trøndelag. He was elected to the Norwegian Parliament in 1886, 1889 and 1892, representing the constituency of Trondhjem og Levanger.
He had served as a deputy representative during the term 1883–1885.
From 1868 he was a member of the Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters. He served as praeses of the organization from 1883 to 1897.