Thomas Wilson

author

Thomas Wilson

1832–1902

A Smithsonian archaeologist and anthropologist, he wrote lively, wide-ranging studies on prehistoric art, symbols, tools, and folklore. His work helped bring late-19th-century archaeology to a broad reading public.

2 Audiobooks

The Swastika, the Earliest Known Symbol, and Its Migration With Observations on the Migration of Certain Industries in Prehistoric Times

The Swastika, the Earliest Known Symbol, and Its Migration With Observations on the Migration of Certain Industries in Prehistoric Times

by Thomas Wilson

Blue-beard: A Contribution to History and Folk-lore Being the history of Gilles de Retz of Brittany, France, who was executed at Nantes in 1440 A.D., and who was the original of Blue-beard in the tales of Mother Goose

Blue-beard: A Contribution to History and Folk-lore Being the history of Gilles de Retz of Brittany, France, who was executed at Nantes in 1440 A.D., and who was the original of Blue-beard in the tales of Mother Goose

by Thomas Wilson

About the author

Born in New Brighton, Pennsylvania, in 1832, Thomas Wilson first worked as a lawyer before moving into public service and scholarship. He later served as a United States consul in Europe and then joined the United States National Museum, part of the Smithsonian, where he became known for his work in prehistoric archaeology and anthropology.

Wilson wrote extensively about early human culture, material remains, and traditional stories. His books and studies include works on prehistoric art, stone tools, and the history of the swastika as an ancient symbol, as well as Blue-beard, a book that blends history and folklore through the story of Gilles de Rais.

He died in Washington, D.C., in 1902. Today he is remembered as one of those energetic 19th-century scholars whose curiosity ranged across archaeology, ethnology, and popular historical subjects.