Eustachy Tyszkiewicz | |
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Born | |
Died | 27 August 1873 | (aged 59)
Resting place | Rasos cemetery |
Known for | Founder of the Museum of Antiquities in Vilnius |
Awards | Order of Saint Stanislaus (2nd class) Order of Saint Anna (2nd class) |
Scientific career | |
Fields | Archaeology, history, museums |
Institutions | Russian government service |
Count Eustachy Tyszkiewicz, Leliwa coat of arms, (18 April 1814 – 27 August 1873) was a Polish noble from the Tyszkiewicz family. He was an archaeologist and historian of the former Grand Duchy of Lithuania and White Ruthenia, then part of the Russian Empire. He is considered the first archaeologist to have undertaken a systematic study of historical sites in Belarus and Lithuania, and was highly influential on succeeding generations of archaeologists.[1] In 1855 he founded the Museum of Antiquities in Vilnius (Vilna, Wilno), which is regarded as the predecessor institution of the National Museum of Lithuania. He donated his personal collection of archaeological and historical artifacts to start the museum. He was a younger brother of historian Konstanty Tyszkiewicz.[2]