To the History of Study of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Eastern Europe: Contribution of Vasyl’ Karazin

Abstract

Starting points of efforts to collect and study of intangible cultural heritage in Slobidska Ukraine will be considered in the proposed report. In the first place attention will be focused on activity of Vasyl’ Karazin (1773–1842). This representative of ancient Balkan kind as well as his ancestors and descendants played an important role in Bulgarian and Ukrainian history. This scientist and public figure became famous as the founder of Kharkiv University (the oldest Ukrainian university), that now named in honor of V. Karazin. He interested of antiquities and took one of the first steps for their study and preservation in Kharkiv region. Also V. Karazin collected, kept and studied local oral traditions. These materials he used to write some local-historical articles. It is important to note that V. Karazin was an active participant of development of periodicals in Ukraine. He founded the University typography in Kharkiv, where the oldest Ukrainian periodicals were printed. Further representatives of “Kharkiv school of romantic poets” published samples of folklore in these almanacs in the 1820s – 1830s. To sum up, it can be argued that V. Karazin stood at the origins of study of intangible cultural heritage in Ukraine. His activities could be assessed as an important page in history of the heritage preservation in Eastern Europe.