«Short song» about Tsunoda Bun-ei and his European colleagues

The name of Tsunoda Bun-ei (1913-2008) is not particularly well-known in the academic community of Europe and Japan. However, the contribution of this outstanding scholar, archaeologist, historian, and writer to the development of world science is beyond doubt. Tsunoda Bun-ei was a professor of universities in Osaka and Kyoto, the founder and head of the Japanese Historical Society, the author of numerous scholarly works, the editor and publisher of journals on ancient history. The Heian Museum of Ancient History and centers for the study of antiquities and ancient literature of the West were founded in Japan with his direct participation. Excavations of monuments were carried out under his leadership not only in Japan, but also abroad - in Iraq, Syria, Egypt, Europe. Unfortunately, there are many gaps in the biography of B. Tsunoda. For example, the little known pages of his biography include his study trips and research in Europe in the 1940s - 1970s, the circumstances of his captivity in the USSR during the Second World War, the nuances of his visits to the Soviet Union and Russia in 1971 and 1997, as well as of his meetings with Soviet scholars. The topic of Professor Tsunoda's international contacts has hardly been studied. His extensive correspondence with colleagues outside Japan remains, for now, out of scholarly spotlight. For many years, his interest towards Eurasia connected him with famous European scholars, such as Aarne Michael Tallgren, Gero von Merhart, Ellis Minns, Franz Hančar, and others. The present article aims to shed some light on the history of the relationship of Tsunoda Bun-ei with his European and Russian counterparts, and to acquaint the academic community with fragments of letters from the personal archives of his correspondents.

Цунода Бунъэй, международные научные связи, история мировой археологии, переписка, Геро фон Мергарт, Аарне Михаэль Тальгрен, археология Северной Евразии, Tsunoda Bun-ei, international relations, history of world archaeology, correspondence, Gero von Merhart, Aarne Michael Tallgren, archaeology of Northern Eurasia

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2. Cultura Antiqua. Kyoto: The Paleological Association of Japan, Inc. 2009. № 4(60)

3. Merhart Gero. Bronzezeit am Enissei. Ein Beitrag zur Urgeschichte Sibiriens: [Бронзовый век на Енисее. Очерк о древней истории Сибири]. Wien: A.Schroll & Company. 1926.

4. Merhart Gero. Einige Erinnerungen an Sibirien: [Некоторые воспоминания о Сибири] // Palaeologia. 1958. № 7. С. 227-229.

5. Otsubo Takao. A Memorial Address // Cultura Antiqua. 2009. № 4 (60). С. 1-3.

6. Sakazume Hideichi. Tsunoda’s Paleology and Research Projects // Cultura Antiqua. 2009. № 4 (60). С. 3 -34.

7. Setouchi Jakucho. Enviable Milestones of His Life // Cultura Antiqua. 2009. № 4 (60). С. 3-5.

8. Yamada Kunikazu. Dr. Bun-ei Tsunoda’s Paleology // Cultura Antiqua. 2009. №. 4 (60). С. 5-8.