2026 08 03
Jonas Basanavičius – a signatory of the Act of Independence of Lithuania, physician, Patriarch of the Nation, and one of the most distinguished figures in Lithuanian history. But did you know that he was also among the first Lithuanian researchers to pursue archaeology in a systematic and professional manner?
This lesser-known aspect of Basanavičius’ life has been explored by archaeology master’s students from the Faculty of History at Vilnius University (VU): Arijana Kotova, Karolis Kučinskas, Liveta Gerulytė, and Marius Mališauskas. Drawing a parallel between Basanavičius and the adventure-film hero Indiana Jones, they present the results of their research in the exhibition “The Unknown Jonas Basanavičius: The Lithuanian Indiana Jones”, on view at the House of Signatories, part of the National Museum of Lithuania (NML). The VU archaeology students discuss a different side of Dr Jonas Basanavičius’ personality, the discoveries that surprised them during their research, and what visitors can expect to see in the exhibition.
From a Mysterious Cabinet to an Exhibition
The idea for an exhibition devoted to Basanavičius’ archaeological activities emerged while the students were visiting museums across Vilnius and assessing how archaeology is presented to the wider public. One of the museums they visited was the House of the Signatories of the National Museum of Lithuania. There, their attention was drawn to a small section of the permanent display – a cabinet containing archaeological finds collected by Basanavičius and other archaeologists of his time.
“One of our course assignments was to visit museums in Vilnius, examine their exhibitions, and identify their strengths, weaknesses, and most striking features. We were then asked to evaluate a chosen exhibition, prepare a presentation, and discuss its advantages and shortcomings. I was assigned the mysterious cabinet at the House of Signatories, where archaeological finds are displayed. The labels simply stated that they had been collected by Jonas Basanavičius. That immediately raised a host of questions: Where did these finds come from? When, where, and how were they discovered?” recalls Arijana Kotova.
“This year marks the 175th anniversary of Jonas Basanavičius’ birth, while next year will mark the centenary of his death. For that reason, one of the lecturers on the course, Dr Povilas Blaževičius, suggested creating a more comprehensive exhibition dedicated to Basanavičius,” adds Liveta Gerulytė.
Karolis Kučinskas explains that their initial discussions focused on the shortcomings and challenges of the existing display devoted to Basanavičius’ archaeological work, and the first idea was simply to improve it. Gradually, however, the concept developed into a much broader exhibition, made possible through the long-standing partnership between the National Museum of Lithuania and the Faculty of History at Vilnius University.
“We decided not only to redesign the display of archaeological finds but also to present Basanavičius’ archaeological and anthropological work through information panels, interviews, and other interactive elements. We also chose this concept because it would allow the exhibition to travel to other museums associated with Basanavičius, such as the National Museum of Lithuania’s Jonas Basanavičius Birthplace Museum. In this way, the exhibition could reach a wider audience and introduce more people to this lesser-known aspect of his work,” says Kučinskas.
What Did Jonas Basanavičius Investigate?
The archaeology master’s students deliberately compared Basanavičius to the Indiana Jones character created by Steven Spielberg and George Lucas.
“Indiana Jones is the central character of the films, driven by his passion for adventure and history. He is curious, determined, and courageous. Jonas Basanavičius possessed those same qualities. Moreover, in several of the films Indiana Jones stands against the Nazis, while Basanavičius opposed the Tsarist authorities. Thanks to his efforts, together with those of other members of the Lithuanian Scientific Society, plans to construct a water reservoir on Gediminas Hill were successfully resisted,” explains Liveta Gerulytė, who works as a museum curator at Burbiškis Manor.
According to Arijana Kotova, the comparison with Indiana Jones was also intended to spark visitors’ curiosity. The exhibition’s creators hoped to engage local audiences and international visitors alike, as well as both younger and older generations. The comparison also resonates with the popular image of the archaeologist – complete with hat, adventure, unexpected discoveries, mysteries, and, at times, an element of danger.
Jonas Basanavičius investigated the hillfort at Piliakalniai in the Vilkaviškis District, the burial mounds of Raginėnai and Kleboniškiai, and the cemetery at Svėdasai. Over a period of just three years, he examined twelve archaeological sites: one hillfort, three barrow cemeteries, and eight burial grounds. Some of the cemeteries he investigated have since been destroyed, while the precise locations of others remain unknown today.
In addition to conducting archaeological excavations, the physician also engaged in what was then a popular field of anthropological research: the study of human skulls. In his search for the origins of the Lithuanian people, he linked them to the ancient Thracians and Phrygians, peoples who once inhabited the Balkan Peninsula and Anatolia.
“To today’s archaeologist, this may seem rather unusual and difficult to understand. Yet Basanavičius did not seek answers in the distant prehistoric past. Instead, he looked for the origins and historical counterparts of the Lithuanian people in what he considered a comparatively recent period, among populations who had lived only one or two centuries earlier. We are also struck today by the fact that he would even carry out excavations in active cemeteries in order to obtain material for his research,” explains Arijana Kotova, Senior Curator of Collections at the National Museum of Lithuania.
An Archaeologist No One Expected to Discover
Asked what surprised them most while preparing the exhibition and uncovering a very different side of Jonas Basanavičius’ personality, the master’s students point first and foremost to the simple fact that the Patriarch of the Nation was actively engaged in archaeological research.
Before beginning work on the exhibition, Karolis Kučinskas had taken little interest in the early history of Lithuanian archaeology. He was therefore especially struck by Basanavičius’ close contacts and collaboration with other archaeologists of his time. He was also deeply impressed by Basanavičius’ role in establishing the Lithuanian Scientific Society and its museum, as well as by his participation in the activities of the State Archaeological Commission. Kučinskas was equally surprised to discover that Basanavičius sought not only to investigate archaeological sites and collect artefacts, but also to protect cultural heritage from destruction.
“Although almost none of the documentation from Basanavičius’ archaeological investigations has survived, I found his only surviving excavation diary to be the most fascinating source. It reveals the documentation practices of the period and offers insight into Basanavičius’ own research methodology. The diary testifies to his meticulousness and shows which details were considered important by archaeologists of that time,” says Karolis Kučinskas.
For Liveta Gerulytė, one of the most remarkable discoveries was that Basanavičius often devoted only a few days to archaeological investigations:
“While travelling throughout Lithuania and meeting local communities, he would always find time to visit archaeological monuments in the area and investigate them. This is evident from Basanavičius’ autobiography, The Chronicle of My Life and the History of My Nervous Illness, 1851–1922, as well as from his archaeological diary, a digital version of which can be viewed in the exhibition. In it, Basanavičius carefully recorded the depth of each grave, the orientation and length of the skeleton, along with other essential information.”
According to Arijana Kotova, the greatest surprise was the realization that Basanavičius had devoted a significant period of his life to archaeology.
“What surprised me most was the very idea that Jonas Basanavičius seriously pursued archaeology during a certain period of his life. Of course, he was not an archaeologist in the sense we understand the profession today – an accredited specialist with formal academic training. Rather, he was a self-taught researcher who had a clear plan, a vision, and a specific subject that fascinated him, and who then persistently sought ways to explore it. What Basanavičius accomplished for Lithuania is deeply impressive in itself, but his work as a scholar enriches our understanding of his personality even further. It reveals his determination, meticulousness, and extraordinary curiosity.”
Why Visit the Exhibition?
The public knows Jonas Basanavičius above all as a signatory of the Act of Independence of Lithuania, the editor of the newspaper Aušra, and a physician. According to Karolis Kučinskas, however, the exhibition introduces visitors to the less familiar dimensions of his work – archaeology and anthropology – while also shedding light on the beginnings of archaeological scholarship in Lithuania. Visitors can learn about the archaeological sites Basanavičius investigated, the artefacts uncovered there, and the theories of Lithuanian origins that he developed on the basis of archaeological and anthropological research.
“The exhibition presents a different Jonas Basanavičius from the one most of us are accustomed to seeing—first and foremost as an archaeologist, a determined seeker, and an explorer of the past. This lesser-known aspect of his work reveals the remarkable versatility of an early twentieth-century scholar and helps visitors gain a deeper sense of the intellectual spirit of the period. In one context Basanavičius is treating patients, in another he is awakening the Lithuanian national spirit, and here he is excavating the past with a shovel in his hands. Ultimately, however, all of these activities are closely connected,” says Arijana Kotova. This connection is encapsulated by the quotation displayed on the exhibition’s introductory panel: “A nation that does not know its past has no future.”
– Dr Jonas Basanavičius
Liveta Gerulytė points out that the exhibition is not solely about Basanavičius and his investigations. Visitors are also invited to explore the interwar excavations of the hillforts at Apuolė and Senoji Įpiltis, learn about the work of archaeologists, and discover the tools they used. The exhibition thus offers an opportunity not only to encounter a little-known facet of Basanavičius’ life, but also to gain a broader understanding of the development of archaeological research in Lithuania.
The exhibition “The Unknown Jonas Basanavičius: The Lithuanian Indiana Jones”, prepared by master’s students of the Department of Archaeology, Faculty of History, Vilnius University, will be on view at the House of Signatories of the National Museum of Lithuania until the 27th of September 2026.