NOTE /NOTE
Anthropology at Jagiellonian University (Cracow, Poland) - past, present and future
L’anthropologie à l’Université Jagiellonne de Cracovie (Pologne) – passé, présent et futur
E. Haduch · I. Wronka
Received 10 June 2009; accepted 26 October 2009
© Société d’anthropologie de Paris et Springer-Verlag France 2010
AbstractFor nearly 150 years, aspects of biological anthro- pology have been taught at Jagiellonian University in Cracow.
The first course was given in 1856 by J. Majer, who was pro- fessor of physiology in the Medical Faculty. The Department of Anthropology was established in 1908 and today it is one of the very few university departments in Poland that teaches and conducts research in biological anthropology. We offer a broad program for students of biology and social sciences. We offer an MSc and a PhD in Biology with a specialization in Physical Anthropology. Specialization in anthropology is very popular among biology students. Each year at least 20 students prepare graduate work (MSc degrees) in our department. In addition, at the present time 12 PhD students of Jagiellonian University are specializing in anthropology.
Apart from the courses recommended for students of biology, we also offer a course for students of archeology, psychology, sociology and philosophy. Since the end of the Second World War, the Department of Anthropology of Jagiellonian Univer- sity has been one of the major sources of professional anthro- pologists in Poland. Our students are especially well prepared for careers in a variety of biomedical fields, including public health, ergonomics, forensic studies and bioarcheology.
KeywordsHistory of anthropology · Teaching of anthropology
RésuméL’histoire de l’anthropologie biologique à l’Univer- sité Jagiellonne de Cracovie est longue de 150 ans. Les premiers cours en furent donnés en 1856 par Józef Mayer, professeur de physiologie à la Faculté de Médecine. La Chaire d’Anthropologie fut créée en 1908 et demeure à ce jour l’un des rares foyers académiques de recherche et d’enseignement de cette discipline. Les étudiants en
biologie, invités à participer à différents cours et séminaires dirigés par les enseignants-chercheurs de la Chaire, ont par ailleurs la possibilité de préparer sous leur tutelle des mémoires de maîtrise et des thèses de doctorat en biologie, spécialitéanthropologie. Les cours offerts par la Chaire sus- citent un grand intérêt auprès des étudiants ; tous les ans, au mois vingt mémoires de maîtrise sont défendus sous la direc- tion de nos chercheurs. Les études doctorales ont un succès comparable et réunissent actuellement 12 étudiants. Indépen- damment des matières recommandées aux étudiants de biolo- gie, les enseignants-chercheurs de notre Chaire donnent des cours destinés aux étudiants des autres filières, notamment archéologie, sociologie, ethnographie et philosophie. Depuis la fin de la Seconde Guerre mondiale, la Chaire d’Anthropo- logie de l’Université Jagiellonne est l’un des centres majeurs de formation d’anthropologues en Pologne. Nos étudiants sont bien préparés à l’exercice des métiers relevant des domaines de la santé publique, de l’ergonomie, de l’anthro- pologie judiciaire et de la bioarchéologie.
Mots clésHistoire de l’anthropologie · Enseignement d’anthropologie
The past
In October 2008 the Department of Anthropology of Jagiel- lonian University celebrated the 100th anniversary of its foundation. But anthropology was first taught at Jagiellonian University 50 years earlier.
In 1856 Józef Majer (1808-1899), professor of physiol- ogy at the Faculty of Medicine, began to give university lectures on anthropology, the very first in the world, as an optional subject, in the Polish language, two hours a week.
He lectured in anthropology until 1873. In that year Majer was one of the founders of the Anthropology Commission at the Academy of Arts and Sciences in Kraków and in 1874 published theProgram for Anthropology Research[1,2].
E. Haduch · I. Wronka (*)
Department of Anthropology, Institute of Zoology, Jagiellonian University, 30-060 Kraków, Ingardena 6 e-mail : iwronka@if.uj.edu.pl
DOI 10.1007/s13219-010-0021-z
Majer’s lectures were continued by a physician, Izydor Kopernicki (1825-1891), until 1881. Kopernicki studied anthropology under the guidance of Paul Broca at the École d’Anthropologie de Paris. Kopernicki, one of the founders of the Anthropology Commission at the Academy of Arts and Sciences in Kraków, is recognized as a creator of the methodology of anthropological research. He published in 1875 theManual for Those Making Observations on Liv- ing Persons and in 1877, Guidelines for Those Making Anthropological and Ethnological Observations in High- lands. Kopernicki carried out craniological research on Gyp- sies, Ainu people, skeletons from different regions of Galicia, past inhabitants of Cracow’s suburbs as well as con- temporary populations. Craniological collections became the foundations of the Museum of Anthropology.
The project for creating a Chair of Anthropology at Jagiellonian University persisted for some time and finally succeeded in 1908. A decree establishing the very first Chair/Department of Anthropology in Poland was made on September 12, 1908 at Jagiellonian University.
Prof. Julian Talko-Hryncewicz (1850-1936), a physician, held the first professorship. In 1911 lectures were resumed.
The lecture entitled On Anthropology and Its Tasks and Pioneering Works of Polish Scientists in the Field of the Natural History of Man, given on November 3 by the head of the Department, Professor Julian Talko-Hryncewicz (Fig. 1) inaugurated the activity of the Department of Anthropology of Jagiellonian University. The scientific interests of Talko-Hryncewicz were wide-ranging. He carried out research on Scythian kurgans in Ukraine, worked as a physician in Siberia and carried out archaeological and anthropological research in Buryatia, Mongolia, Ukraine as well as in the region of Galicia and in the city of Kraków. In 1926 he published the interesting description“Inhabitants of Krakow from the 10th to the 19th Century–the Anthropo- logical, Biological and Sociological Aspect. Case Study”. He pioneered research on contemporary populations of a variety of ethnic groups such as Highlanders, Kashubians and Tatars. He was one of the first in the world to begin longitudinal studies of schoolchildren in the years 1926– 1932, investigating anthropometric, descriptive and physio- logical characteristics. Talko-Hryncewicz was in charge of the Department until 1933 [3].
In 1933 Prof. Kazimierz Stołyhwo (1880-1966) was appointed to the Chair. He was in charge until 1960, with a break during the Second World War. Stołyhwo (Fig. 2) stud- ied anthropology at the École d’Anthropologie de Paris under the guidance of L. Manouvrier. He carried out archae- ological, anthropological and ethnographic research on the evolution of man and the genetics of characteristics as well as typology. Moreover, in the period 1934 – 1939 and in 1945 he organized research on the population of Silesia.
On November 6, 1939, during the Sonderaction Krakau,
Stołyhwowas arrested together with the rest of the Jagiello- nian University staff, and until April 1940 was detained in the Sachsenhausen camp. In 1956 he was awarded the Médaille d’Honneur, Republique de France.
Prof. Eugenia Stołyhwo (1894-1965) led the Department from 1961 to 1964. Her scientific interests included human anatomy and morphology, constitutional typology, genetic and environmental influences on growth and development as well as diversity in contemporary populations.
Fig. 1 Prof. Julian Talko-Hryncewicz (1850-1936), first to be appointed to the Chair of Anthropology at Jagiellonian University / Prof. Julian Talko-Hryncewicz (1850-1936), premier détenteur de la Chaire d’Anthropologie de l’Université de Jagiellonn
Fig. 2 100 years of anthropology at Jagiellonian University, Inter- national Congress in Kraków 1956 : Prof. Henri Valois (third from left), Prof. Kazimierz Stołyhwo (fourth from left) /100 ans d’Anthropologie à l’Université de Jagiellonn, Congrès interna- tional de Cracovie en 1956 : Prof. Henri Valois (3e à partir de la gauche), Prof. Kazimierz Sto ł yhwo (4e à partir de la gauche)
In 1964 Bronisław Jasicki (1907-1992) became the head of the Department. Prof. Jasicki carried out pioneering work on the dynamics of children’s growth based on individual growth curves, and has been the initiator of regional research in the gathering of data from the population of theŻywiec region for forty years. He also carried out research on the diversity of contemporary man. He retired in 1976.
From 1976 to 1982, the function of head of Department was fulfilled by Prof. Paweł Sikora (1912-2002). Prof.
Sikora’s research covered the following: historical anthro- pology, development of anthropometric characteristics in ontogenesis, secular trend and pubertal development of girls in the context of economic and social environment as well as ethnicity.
Prof. Krzysztof Kaczanowski (born in 1938), was the head of the Department of Anthropology at Jagiellonian University for 25 years (1982-2008). His main scientific interests concern research into prehistoric, historical and contemporary populations, regional research on the Polish region of Spisz, anthropology in sport and the inheritance of morphological characteristics (Fig. 3).
At the present time, our Department is led by Ass. Profes- sor Henryk Głąb (born in 1953).
The present
The research at the Department currently covers several fields that we briefly introduce here.
Diversity of morphological characteristics
This research concerns the diversity and inheritance of dermatogliphic traits, the structure of the iris, the morphology of facial features related to inheritance, i.e. in forensic investigations.
Human Cytogenetics
This field relates to the structure of the human karyotype, its variability and diversity in human populations, the frequency of sex chromatin in buccal epithelial cells, the mutagenesis in the context of environmental factors (carci- nogenesis) and the evaluation of the protective role of the placenta barrier against environmental genotoxic factors, mutagenic influence of opioids and remedies used in the therapy of addicts [4–7].
Bioarchaeology
These researches concern model research on individual sequences of deciduous and permanent teeth as well as on samples from bones enabling reconstruction of the palaeo- diet, as well as assessment of the biological condition of prehistoric, historical and contemporary populations, the eti- ology of diseases, migrations and the impact of environmen- tal and physiological factors on mutagenesis based on analysis of bio-genes concentration (Ca), trace elements (Zn, Ba, Sr, Pb, Cd, Fe, Cu) and stable isotopes (O, N, C) and palaeoserological research [8-20].
Ontogenetic development
As early as 1875, Majer and Kopernicki carried out research on over 5000 conscripts aged 20-25, describing their physical traits, and published this work in 1877:
Population of Galicia and its Physical Characteristics Based upon Their Anthropometric and Descriptive Charac- teristics. During his work as a doctor in the Ukraine, Professor Talko-Hryncewicz began his research on children and teen- agers. He continued this work in Kraków after the First World War. In the following years, the scope of the research included subjects such as variability of growth in relation to sexual dimorphism, anthropological diversity, genetic and environmental influences on the rate and dynamics of growth and the attainment of puberty. We have analysed data gathered in longitudinal and cross-sectional research carried out on selected populations of southern Poland, and others in the region of Polish Spisz,Żywiec, Nowy Sącz and Katowice Steelworks [21,22]. It is worth noting in particular the innovative findings of Jasicki regarding dynamics and rate of growth, based on individual growth curves.
At present, research is being carried out on the impact of social and economic factors, life style and diet on the biological condition of newborns, children, teenagers, adults and the elderly, as well as on a phenomenon of secular trend [23–25].
Fig. 3 Visitors’ Book of the Department of Anthropology, Jagiellonian University /Page d’un livre de visite du Département d’Anthropologie, Université de Jagiellonn
Research on prehistoric and historical populations
This research was initiated and presented by Kopernicki dur- ing meetings of the Anthropological Society in Paris and still continues in compliance with point 1 of the Program of the Anthropological Commission of Academy of Arts and Sciences (1874)research on the inhabitants of Polish terri- tory…regarding traces of their earliest presence and life in prehistoric times. The work in which Kopernicki pointed to the Indian origin of Gypsies was awarded the Goddard Prize by the Societé d’Anthropologie de Paris. The research initiated by Talko-Hryncewicz on prehistoric and historical skeletons from Ukraine, Lithuania, Zabaykalsky Krai, and Cracow’s cemeteries has continued as new materials dated from the Palaeolithic to modern times are acquired following co-operation with archaeological sites in Poland and abroad (Fig. 4). Experience gained in the analysis of skeletal and crematory materials by traditional methods, palaeo- pathological research, multifaceted physical and chemical as well as palaeoserological and genetic research has signifi- cantly broadened the scope of studies on the biology of prehistoric and historical populations [26-38].
Based on the craniological collections of Izydor Koper- nicki, the Museum of Anthropology was established. The collections of Ainu skulls were a gift from Bronisław Piłsudski, who carried out research in Siberia. Skulls from Cameroon were a gift from Stanisław Szolc- Rogoziński, and the collection of Mongolian and Buryatian skulls was donated by Julian Talko-Hryncewicz. Before the Second World War, the museum gathered its collections of skulls either by exchange or by purchase from other anthropology centres worldwide. The museum houses a series of skulls from prehistoric and historical cemeteries from the area of Poland, including a vast collection from the city of Kraków and its vicinity dating from the
10th century, before the city was founded, to the beginning of the 19th century. The Museum of Anthropology houses permanent exhibitions and may be used for educational purposes [39].
Education in anthropology
Within the study major of biology, until recently for the 5-year master’s degree studies and since 2006/07 for the second-degree studies, a program specializing in anthropol- ogy has been set up which involves 500 hours of specialized courses for which 45 ESTC are granted from the Bolonia System of Higher Education. The courses cover the following subjects: General Anthropology, Selected Subjects of Detailed Human Anatomy, Human Ontogenesis, Human Phi- logenesis, Variability of Modern Man, Human Genetics, Human Embryology, Bioarcheology, Primatology and Aspects of Comparative Anatomy, Sociobiology, Ethnogra- phy, Archaeology, Methods of Archaeological and Anthropo- logical Fieldwork, Evaluation of Caloric Needs and Nutritional Status–practical training and research, Nutrition and Biochemical Mechanisms for Body Mass Control. In order to have the specialization acknowledged, it is necessary to take an active part in thematic seminars conducted by Anthropology Department staff and to prepare and defend a master’s thesis in anthropology. There is a vast selection of topics to choose from as the Department carries out multifaceted research within the broad area of Human Biology. Next we plan to introduce a new subject, Forensic Biology, at the second-degree studies level within the study major biology.
The staff of the Department in 2008/2009: Prof. dr hab.
Krzysztof Kaczanowski, Dr hab. Henryk Głąb–head of the Department, Dr hab. Elżbieta Haduch, Dr hab. Krzysztof Szostek, Dr Anita Szczepanek, Dr Iwona Wronka, Dr Jan Schmager, mgr Elżbieta Niedźwiecka, mgr Andrzej Kosydarski and 12 doctoral students, plus 21 4th-year students and 24 5th-year students for the master’s degree.
The future
Our research projects concern various problems of human biology. These are: the continuation of ontogenetic research on children and teenagers regarding the influence of social, economic and environmental factors on ontogeny develop- ment, research on the biological condition of prehistoric and historical populations with the use of physical, chemical, molecular and serological methods, study of the diversity of morphological traits in terms of their applicability to forensic anthropology.
Fig. 4 Collection of the Museum of Anthropology /Collection du Museum d’Anthropologie
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