КРАЄЗНАВЧІ ДОСЛІДЖЕННЯ ЮРІЯ ШУМОВСЬКОГО НА ВОЛИНІ ЯК ВИЯВ НАУКОВОГО ПОШУКУ ЕТНОГРАФІЧНОЇ СПАДЩИНИ УКРАЇНСЬКОГО НАРОДУ

Abstract

The research into the history of the development of the historical local lore in Ukraine at the beginning of the XX century is important because it was then that due to the efforts of many representatives of the Volhynian intelligentsia on the territory of the Western Volhynia occupied by Poland in 1919–1939 that the local lore movement began. Yurii Shumovskyi (1908–2003) was one of the mentioned representatives of the Volhynian intelligentsia. He was a scientist, a priest, an archaeologist, and an ethnographer. During his studies at the University of Warsaw, he was delegated by the Polish Archaeological Museum to the territory of Dubno County to study archaeological sites. The relevance of the research topic is that the currently existing knowledge does not provide complete information about the role and contribution of Yurii Shumovskyi into the development of the historical local lore of the above stated period. The purpose of the article is to characterize the scientist’s contribution into the development of the historical local lore in Volhynia, outlining the results of Shumovskyi’s search for the ethnographic heritage of the Ukrainian people. The article explores and discusses the contribution of Yu. Shumovskyi into the development of the historical local lore that lay in deepening knowledge of Ukrainians as regards the ancient past of historical Volhynia. Moreover, it assesses the scientist’s actions aimed at promoting the preservation of historical cultural monuments through publishing the materials covering local history research. In addition, the methodical recommendations provided by the scientist concerning the discovery and preservation of historical and archaeological monuments on the territory of Volhynia (guidelines as regards methods of work near them, their classification and description) are considered in detail. The study of roadside crosses is presented separately (history of their distribution, features of veneration, meaning and belief). The article also discusses the scientist’s reconstruction of the description of the history of the Volhynian region which includes: characteristics of the gradual cultural development of this area together with the information on the economy, crafts (pottery), methods of trade; coverage of rituals (ancestral worship), features of traditional clothing and jewelry, diet and the spread of diseases among ancient Ukrainians. Based on the results of the study, it has been established that Yurii Shumovskyi’s local history activities stimulated the study of the history of his native land among the local population, which contributed to the awareness of Ukrainians of the need for unity in the struggle for national liberation.