Lubor Niederle and the development of Сzech Slavic studies and archaeology in the context of Ukrainian national progress

Activities of Czech scientists of the late XVIII-XIX centuries. concerning the study of the Slavic peoples, continued by the prominent Czech Slavic scholar, archaeologist, historian, ethnographer, philologist Lubor Niederle (1865–1944) are discussed in the article. The scientist had a good European education on anthropology and archaeology, studying in Germany and France and during his scientific trips to Great Britain, Italy, Germany, Russia, and the Balkan countries. Collected material formed the basis of his first comprehensive monograph about humanity during the prehistoric era, in particular on the lands inhabited by the Slavs. Among a large number of published researches, most important was the multivolume monograph “Slovanské starožitnosti”, in which scientist analyzed the history of the Slavs from the prehistoric period till the early Middle Ages. Publications of L. Niederle were of great interest to Ukrainian scholars (M. Hrushevskyi, F. Vovk, M. Bilyashivskyi, V. Hnatyuk, etc.). They criticized his Russophile position and defending of the dubious claims of Russian researchers about Ukrainian history. Key words: Czech Slavic studies, Lubor Niederle, Slavic antiquities, Ukrainians.