Jonas Basanavičius Archaeology Exhibition Opens in Vilnius

Postgraduate archaeology students from Vilnius University have organized an exhibition titled “Unknown Jonas Basanavičius: Lithuanian Indiana Jones” at the House of Signatories of the Lithuanian National Museum. The display presents the little‑known archaeological activities of Jonas Basanavičius, a signatory of Lithuania’s Act of Independence and a key figure in the nation’s history.

The project, led by students Arijana Kotova, Karolis Kučinskas, Liveta Gerulytė and Marius Mališauskas under the guidance of Dr Povilas Blaževičius, was inspired by visits to local museums and a “mysterious closet” that housed Basanavičius’s finds. The exhibition coincides with the 175th anniversary of Basanavičius’s birth and the upcoming centenary of his death, aiming to highlight his contributions to archaeology alongside his political legacy.