Pages: 335-247

The name and works of the Germanist F. A. Braun are widely known. He is one of the leading specialists in the topic of German-Slavic contacts. Less he is known for his work as an archaeologist. In the early 1890s, under the instruction of the Archaeological Commission, he conducted excavations in the Crimean Mountains and the Baltic region to search for archaeological traces of the Goths. In 1896 he became a staff member of the Archaeological Commission and carried out exploration of Scythian barrows and medieval runic inscriptions in the Northern Black Sea region. Although he moved to Germany and became a professor at the University of Leipzig in 1920, Braun continued to keep an eye on the excavations inthe Crimea. Discovered by the author of this article, Braun’s letters to S. F. Platonov in late 1920s show the role he played in organizing a common project of the Soviet-German expedition to study archaeological sites of the Crimean Goths.

Keywords: F. A. Braun, Goths, Crimea, Mangup, history of archaeology, Scythian barrows.

Information about author:

Igor Tikhonov (Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation). Doctor of Historical Sciences. Saint Petersburg State University. Universitetskaya Emb., 7/9, Saint Petersburg, 199034, Russian Federation
E-mail: [email protected]