Algimantas Grigelis

Stanisław Staszic: An Early Surveyor of the Geology of Central and Eastern Europe

Summary In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries the Polish geoscientist, philosopher, and statesman Stanisław Staszic (1755–1826) conducted an extensive geological survey of Poland and adjacent areas. In 1815, he completed a book (in Polish), On the geology of the Carpathians and other mountains and lowlands of Poland, complemented by a well-made geological map of Central and Eastern Europe. Early in the nineteenth century, Staszic refined the idea of ‘geological mapping’, though initially he was interested in the exploration of mineral deposits, rock salt, copper and iron ores, and coal. Unlike his predecessors, his book adopted a temporal subdivision of rocks, using a somewhat modified version of Abraham Gottlob Werners system. He delineated the surface distribution of five rock units and coloured them onto his map. His work gave expression to his view of geological history, and brought the ‘Enlightenment Period’ of geology in Central and Eastern Europe to a close.

International Commission on the History of Geological Sciences: the earliest events

Abstract The article highlights the role of the Commission on Geological Exploration of the USSR (KOGI), formed in 1955 at the Geological Institute of the USSR Academy of Sciences. The valuable experience gained during work on the large KOGI project was later used by Moscow geologists in 1964 in the proposal leading to the establishment of the International Committee on the History of Geology (INHIGEO). At its Constituent Assembly held in Yerevan in 1967, the decision resulted in the election of 15 founding members, 20 corresponding members and a working agenda and its by-laws in the adoption of the committee statutes. The first INHIGEO membership was approved at the 23rd IGC in Prague in 1968 (12 members and 29 corresponding members).

The earliest geological observations in Lithuania: a historical viewpoint

Abstract Our earliest knowledge of Lithuanias geology derives from historical data on the use of natural mineral resources in the daily life of its population, such as building stones, clay, chalk, amber and salt-bearing mineral waters. The first scientific data on geognosy appeared at the beginning of the eighteenth century in the works of educated monks. From the middle of the eighteenth century natural philosophy was taught at the Vilnius Academy. The last quarter of the eighteenth century is notable for the completion of the first geological maps compiled from field observations. The Department of Mineralogy was established in the secularized Vilnius University in 1803. Studies of mineralogy flourished there until the universitys closure in 1832. Geological surveying was carried out under the auspices of the Russian Mines Department, which paid particular attention to the exploration of sources of salt, iron ores and coal. A number of localities of likely useful minerals were investigated, but they were not of sufficient quality to be economically viable. By the mid-nineteenth century, the geological survey in Lithuania had resulted in the recognition of Devonian, Jurassic, Cretaceous and Tertiary sedimentary rocks. Quaternary sediments were reported in hilly areas and sandy soils and notable occurrences of boulders were recorded in low-lying areas.

Juozas Dalinkevičius – palaeontologist of Devonian brachiopods

Academician Juozas Dalinkevicius entirely used palaeontology in his studies of Devonian stratigraphy. But he published a description of only one Spiriferida species in 1939. This significant ‘classic paper’ is of great value but nowadays it became a bibliography rarity. Having in mind to restore its use in the scientific circulation, Geologija re-publishes a facsimile copy of this J. Dalinkevicius’ work with palaeontologist Al- gimantas Grigelis’ preface. – Editor’s remark . Akademikas Juozas Dalinkevicius devono sistemos stratigrafijos tyrimuose isimtinai rėmėsi paleon- tologiniu metodu, taciau is surinktų devono faunos rinkinių 1939 m. jis paskelbė tik vienos spiriferidų rūsies aprasymą. Vertindama sio darbo svarbą ir tai, kad jis yra tapes bibliografine retenybe, bei norėdama jį vėl įtraukti į moksline apyvartą žurnalo Geologija redakcinė kolegija skelbia sio J. Dalinkeviciaus darbo faksimilės kopiją kartu su paleontologo Algimanto Grigelio įvadiniu žodžiu. ( Red. past. )