Michał Kobusiewicz
Obituary - Lech Krzyżaniak
Professor Lech Krzyżaniak died on the 10th July
2004, bringing to a premature end his active involvement in the
field of archaeology.
Lech Krzyżaniak was
born on the 8th February 1940. He graduated in archaeology from
Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań (1962). At the same university
he presented his doctoral thesis (1968) and obtained his habilitation
(1975). He was nominated a professor in 1992. Lech Krzyżaniak
was educated in the field of prehistory. While he was still a
student, he began working in the Archaeological Museum in Poznań,
where he stayed to the end of his life, spending 22 years as its
director.
At the beginning of
his career as a researcher he carried out archaeological excavations
in Poland. However, in 1966 he developed an interest in the prehistory
of north-eastern Africa, and thenceforth remained faithful to
these issues to the end of his life.
From the very beginning he was closely associated with the Centre
for Mediterranean Archaeology, Warsaw University, commonly known
as "the Station", directed by Professor Kazimierz Michałowski.
He began to familiarise himself with research in Africa by participating
in excavations of the Roman theatre in Alexandria, and at the
medieval Christian site of Old Dongola in Sudan. Soon, however,
as an educated and keen prehistorian, he began research into the
Khartoum Neolithic at Kadero near Khartoum in co-operation with
the Warsaw Station, on a concession received from the Sudan Antiquities
Service. There he conducted modern, multidisciplinary excavations
of the settlement and adjoining rich cemetery. These ceased only
with his death. He also organised an archaeological survey along
the Blue Nile up to Roseires, which resulted in the discovery
of a rich prehistoric settlement dating to different periods.
Systematic excavations that began here were brought to a close
as a consequence of the political situation at the time.
Recently, Lech Krzyżaniak
was engaged intensively in organising rescue excavations in the
Fourth Cataract region, an area that will be flooded as a result
of the completion of the Merowe Dam.
The other significant
area of Lech's interest was the study of prehistoric rock art.
He undertook research in 1980, in the massif of Tassili in Algeria,
but here also research was stopped due to political upheaval in
the country. Lech returned to prehistoric art at the beginning
of the 1990s, when in co-operation with the Dakhleh Oasis Project,
he began studying the rich rock engravings in Dakhleh Oasis in
the Egyptian Western Desert.
His research results
brought appreciation in the academic milieu; hence, he was invited
to participate in various research projects. In 1978 he commenced
a perennial co-operation with the expedition from the Egyptian
Museum in Munich, first excavating the cemetery in Minshat Abu
Omar in the eastern Delta dated to the predynastic and early dynastic
periods, and since 1995 excavating the Meroitic site of Naqa near
the Sixth Cataract in Sudan, on behalf of the State Museum in
Berlin.
Joint research with
the German expedition turned out to be of the utmost importance
for Lech's life because it is there that he met his future wife.
Karla Kroeper, also an archaeologist, was most dedicated to him
and with her Lech experienced the happiest years of his life.
For a couple of seasons
he also participated in the expedition of Washington State University
at the Old Kingdom site in Kom el-Hisn in the western Delta.
Although deeply engaged
in extensive fieldwork, Lech Krzyżaniak also carried out intensive
research. He is the author of an impressive number of papers,
more than 200, as well as several books. He also attended many
conferences. He was the chief organiser of seven international
symposia on the prehistory of north-eastern Africa, recognised
in the archaeological milieu as the "Dymaczewo Conferences". He
was invited to deliver lectures in a number of countries in both
the old and new world. Having great experience of museum issues,
gained during many years of activity in that field, he was appointed
as an UNESCO expert on the Nubia Museum in Aswan and the future
Museum of the Egyptian Civilisation in Cairo.
His activity was widely
acknowledged, as witnessed by invitations to become a member of
different institutions and scientific bodies, the most important
being membership of the Executive Committee and Permanent Committee
of the International Union for Pre- and Protohistorical Sciences
(UISPP). He was chairman of its 24th Scientific Committee. He
was also a member of the International Society for Nubian Studies,
a member and for many years chairman of the Centre for Mediterranean
Archaeology, Warsaw University, and a member of the Committee
for Pre-and Protohistoric Sciences, Polish Academy of Sciences.
In recognition of his
merits, he was awarded a number of decorations, among which he
especially appreciated the Order of the Two Niles - the highest
decoration awarded to foreigners by the government of Sudan.
Throughout his life
Lech Krzyżaniak endeavoured to create an important centre of African
prehistory studies in Poznań, and he succeeded. He left behind
him numerous collaborators and students and his goals will certainly
be pursued.
He treated his service
for science as a duty, but also as a great adventure. He was most
happy when faced with a difficult challenge. He was a kind of
romantic, albeit he would probably not have agreed with such a
view. It may be that these traits, along with his kindness, sociability,
modesty and sense of humour, attracted to him people who formed
a group marked by its team spirit.
He departed this life
too early. It is a great loss for science and also for his family,
friends and colleagues. His work and our remembrance of him will
last for a long time.
Non omnis moriar.
"Sudan & Nubia. The Sudan Archaeological Research Society", Bulletin No. 9:2005, pp. 85-86.
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