Astronomas ir geodezininkas Antonas Šahinas (A. Szahin, 1799–1842)

The paper presents a new data on the biography of eminent astronomer and land surveyor of Vilnius and Kharkiv universities Anton Szahin (1799– 1842). He was born in Vilnius; may be the scientist was in relationship with Tatar poet Franciszek Szahin-Sokol. A. Szahin studied at the Teachers Institute of Vilnius University. In 1816 he obtained the degree of Master of Philosophy and in next year was invited to work at the Astronomical Observatory of Vilnius University. The Chair of Land Surveying was set up in 1826 and A. Szahin, the author of the first textbooks on higher geodesy (Higher Geodesy and Land Surveying and Levelling, 1929, in Polish) was elected its head. In 1832 the Russian government closed the Vilnius University, as an act of repression after the uprising. A. Szahin was forced to go to Vitebsk where he delivered mathematics at gymnasium. In 1834 A. Szahin was invited to Kharkiv University where he gained the professorship of astronomy.Straipsnyje pateikiama archyviniais duomenimis patikslinta įžymaus Vilniaus ir Charkivo universitetų astronomo ir geodezininko Antono Šahino (A. Szahin, 1799–1842) biografija. Daroma prielaida, kad jį siejo giminystės ryšys su žinomu Vilniaus totorių poetu Františeku Šahinu-Sokolu. A. Šahinas, baigęs Vilniaus universiteto Mokytojų institutą ir magistro studijas, 1817 m. rugsėjo 1 d. buvo įdarbintas čionykštėje astronomijos observatorijoje. Rusijos imperijoje ėmus plėsti kartografijos darbus, 1826 m. Vilniaus universitete buvo įkurta atskira Geodezijos katedra. A. Šahinas tapo šios katedros vedėju; jo žiniai priskirtas ir geodezijos prietaisų kabinetas. 1829 m. A. Šahinas lenkų kalba parašė vadovėlius „Aukštoji geodezija“ ir „Matininkystė ir niveliacija“, kurie atliepė tuometinį inžinerinių mokslų pasaulinį lygį, buvo pirmieji Rytų Europoje. Abiejų itin svarbių praktiniam mokslo taikymui A. Šahino knygų leidimu Vilniaus imperatoriškasis universitetas dar kartą patvirtino tuometines jo lyderio pozicijas moksle. Tragiškas talentingo mokslininko likimas neabejotinai susijęs su represiniu Alma Mater uždarymu

„Kitokie“ tarp persirengėlių tradicinėse Užgavėnėse

Since ancient times to nowadays the Shrove Tuesday is one of the most favourite folk feasts in Lithuania. The masks imitating the Jews, Gypsies and Hungarians that originated in Shrove Tuesday’s festival did not have the intension of poking fun at these races. It is quite another implication, namely, masqueraders emphasize their feeling of not belonging both, by their appearance and their behaviour. Another popular Shrovetide characters are ‘beggars’; they seems to be most sorrowful. Semantically significant features of anthropomorphic masks show that they imitated the representatives from dead ancestors’ world. They come from far to announce that spring is approaching fast.Key Words: Shrove Tuesday, traditional masks, magic practice, agrarian rituals

"Anothers" in the traditional Lithuanian Shrovetide

Since ancient times to nowadays the Shrove Tuesday is one of the most favourite folk feasts in Lithuania. The masks imitating the Jews, Gypsies and Hungarians that originated in Shrove Tuesday’s festival did not have the intension of poking fun at these races. It is quite another implication, namely, masqueraders emphasize their feeling of not belonging both, by their appearance and their behaviour. Another popular Shrovetide characters are "beggars"; they seems to be most sorrowful. Semantically significant features of anthropomorphic masks show that they imitated the representatives from dead ancestors’ world. They come from far to announce that spring is approaching fast

Pamhlet "Prussians - the fourth member of the Baltic" (1934) and it's consequense

Eastern Prussia is an exceptional derivative formed by historical events and political conditions of cultural development. This is also reflected in the historical consciousness of the Lithuanian nation – the fate of this region particularly painfully affected Lithuania. Eastern Prussia was the centre of Lithuanian culture; therefore, it is not surprising that various ideas about possible directions of the development of the territory have been raised from Vydūnas times. Interstate political agreements of 1934, which formed a “corridor” for Poles to the Baltic Sea, made this problem relevant. The pamphlet “Prussians – the fourth member of the Baltic”, issued in the same year by Umbras, declares the aspiration to evoke Prussian self-awareness and the hope of independence of Eastern Prussia. The aim of the paper is to introduce this bibliographical rarity. The paper discusses the reasons for the appearance of the pamphlet with regard to the international situation, overviews the ripples it sent in the political layers of the Baltic countries and German ethnic minority communities, which have been going through experiences similar to the political and cultural metamorphoses of old Prussians. The paper concludes that “Romuva” Students’ Corporation of Vytautas Magnus University defined relevant political activity goals and expanded the idea of unity of the Baltic countries, incorporating Eastern Prussia. Moreover, the translation of the publication in German had a great positive response among German ethnic minority organisations. A famous Masurian leader, dr. Kurt Obitz, established contacts with members of “Romuva” and encouraged to organise a conference in Riga on the issue of solidarity of the Baltic nations

Ramygala church clock and bell

Bažnyčios bokštų varpai – ypatingi kultūros paveldo objektai, sukaupę savyje technologijos, istorijos ir dailės vertes. Lietuvoje esantys bažnytiniai varpai įtraukti į valstybinį kultūros vertybių registrą, tačiau tik dalis jų yra moksliškai aprašyti, visapusiškai ištyrinėjus jų ypatybes bei istorinę vertę. Svarbūs leidiniai yra ne tik savajame krašte, bet ir atvežtiniai, pagaminti pagal užsakymus varpai, nes teikia žinių apie prekybinius, ekonominius, konfesinius krašto ryšius. O iš svetimų kraštų atklydę varpai gali būti ir įvairių istorinių įvykių bei peripetijų liudytojai. Retai bažnyčios varpus galima pamatyti, dažniausiai jie smalsuoliams nepasiekiamose aukštybėse – girdimi, bet nematomi... O mechaniniai laikrodžiai Lietuvos bažnyčių bokštuose – apskritai didelė retenybė. Ramygalos (Panevėžio r.) raudonplytė XX a. pradžioje statyta bažnyčia – įspūdingas architektūros paminklas, miestelio puošmena. Įkopus į jos bokštą, galima pamatyti Berlyne 1931 m. pagamintą mechaninį laikrodį bei Karaliaučiuje garsaus meistro Heinricho fon Švichelto 1522 m. išlietą varpą. Šie objektai – įdomios techninio paveldo vertybės, galinčios tapti miestelio svečių ir turistų atrakcija. Straipsnyje pateikiamos jų charakteristikos bei nusakomos įsigijimo aplinkybės.Church tower bells are special cultural heritage objects that have accumulated technological, historical and artistic values. A number of church bells in Lithuania are included in the State Register of Cultural Heritage, but only a part of them is scientifically described, having thoroughly examined their features and historical value. Important are not only the bells cast in Lithuania, but also the ordered abroad and brought to our land, because they provide knowledge of trade, economic and confessional relations of the region, may be witnesses of historical events. It’s a rare case that they can be seen, they are often very high, heard, but invisible ... And the mechanical clocks in the towers of Lithuanian churches are a great rarity

Moon over Lygumai

Reikšminiai žodžiai: Kalendoriniai papročiai; Kalendorius; Liaudies astronomija; Lygumų apylinkės; Mitologija; Mėnulio fazės; Mėnulis; Tikėjimai; Ūkio darbai; Žvaigždės; Beliefs; Calendar; Farming; Folk astronomy; Lygumai district; Moon; Mythology; Phases of the moon; Stars; The Moon; The calendar custom

A set of instruments in the old observatory of Vilnius University

The first telescopes, which appeared in the astronomy's observatory, were accidental presents by nobility. Only when M. Poczobutt became the head of the observatory, he initiated a systematic collection of instruments. The best French and British masters were given orders to make certain instruments, the most precise of which appeared to have been the great mural quadrant, made in J. Ramsden's workshops in London. The other part of select equipment, conforming to the world scientific standards of that period, was acquired due to personal contacts, academic exchanges, and university's attention to the development of the science of astronomy. A set of astrometrical instruments was updated under J. Sniadecki. His successor P. Slavinski paid more attention to the improvement of geodetic instruments. In the second half of the 19th century M. Gusev and P. Smyslov expanded astrophysical research in Vilnius observatory, and for this purpose they obtained a unique set of instruments: Dalhmeyer's photoheliograph and Merz's spectrometer for solar investigations, and Schwerd's photometer - to investigate stars