Lithuanian Museum of Ancient Beekeeping
Encyclopedia
The Lithuanian Museum of Ancient Beekeeping (Senovinės bitininkystės muziejus), established in 1984 near Stripeikiai
in northeastern Lithuania
, displays the history of beekeeping in the area.
The museum, part of Aukštaitija National Park
, was founded by the beekeeper Bronius Kazlas.
As of 2006, the museum consisted of six buildings, about 500 displays, and 25 sculptures. In addition to illustrating the history of beekeeping in Lithuania, some of the museum's wooden sculptures themselves contain beehives. The sculptures pay homage to the honeybee's place in worldwide mythology and folklore, including Egypt
ian and Native American
figures as well as the Lithuanian god Babilas and goddess Austėja. They were carved by Teofilis Patiejūnas and Ipolitas Užkurnis.
The displays include glass-sided hives that enable visitors to watch the bees at work, tool collections, and illustrations of the role that bees play in pollination
. The wide variety of hives includes many tree trunks, which were used from the 15th century until the beginning of the 20th century.
The Lithuanian Veterinary Academy
claims that Lithuanian bees are especially peaceful. They constitute a sub-species of the European honey bee; they are smaller than Italian bee
s and larger than the Caucasian honey bee.
The honeybee is a symbol of friendship in Lithuania; the word bičiulis is an affectionate form of address. In 2005 Ukrainian
President Viktor Yushchenko
presented Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus
with three beehives and bees, which were brought to the museum.
The museum is open from May to October. A Honey Harvest festival is held in August, and the museum features a "Honey Bar".
Stripeikiai
Stripeikiai is the oldest village in Aukštaitija National Park, Ignalina district. It is best known for itsunique ethnograpic beekeeping museum. The museum was founded in 1974 by Bronius Kazlas and now receives about 10,000 visitors annually. The museum is dedicated to the development of beekeeping...
in northeastern Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
, displays the history of beekeeping in the area.
The museum, part of Aukštaitija National Park
Aukštaitija National Park
Aukštaitija National Park is a national park in northeastern Lithuania, about 100 km north of Vilnius. Established in 1974, it is the oldest of the five national parks in Lithuania. At first it was named Lithuanian SSR National Park to emphasize that it was the first such park in the republic...
, was founded by the beekeeper Bronius Kazlas.
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian and Native American
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
figures as well as the Lithuanian god Babilas and goddess Austėja. They were carved by Teofilis Patiejūnas and Ipolitas Užkurnis.
The displays include glass-sided hives that enable visitors to watch the bees at work, tool collections, and illustrations of the role that bees play in pollination
Pollination
Pollination is the process by which pollen is transferred in plants, thereby enabling fertilisation and sexual reproduction. Pollen grains transport the male gametes to where the female gamete are contained within the carpel; in gymnosperms the pollen is directly applied to the ovule itself...
. The wide variety of hives includes many tree trunks, which were used from the 15th century until the beginning of the 20th century.
The Lithuanian Veterinary Academy
Lithuanian Veterinary Academy
The Lithuanian Veterinary Academy , located in Vilijampolė neighbourhood of Kaunas, Lithuania, was a state-owned, autonomous institution of higher education, with university level status. It conferred degrees in veterinary medicine and provided scientific advice and scientific support in fields...
claims that Lithuanian bees are especially peaceful. They constitute a sub-species of the European honey bee; they are smaller than Italian bee
Italian bee
Apis mellifera ligustica is the Italian bee which is a sub-species of the western honey bee .- Origin :The Italian honey bee is thought to originate from the continental part of Italy, South of the Alps, and North of Sicily...
s and larger than the Caucasian honey bee.
The honeybee is a symbol of friendship in Lithuania; the word bičiulis is an affectionate form of address. In 2005 Ukrainian
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
President Viktor Yushchenko
Viktor Yushchenko
Viktor Andriyovych Yushchenko is a former President of Ukraine. He took office on January 23, 2005, following a period of popular unrest known as the Orange Revolution...
presented Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus
Valdas Adamkus
Valdas Adamkus was President of Lithuania from 1998 to 2003 and again from 2004 to 2009.In Lithuania, the President's tenure lasts for five years; Adamkus' first term in office began on February 26, 1998 and ended on February 28, 2003, following his defeat by Rolandas Paksas in the next...
with three beehives and bees, which were brought to the museum.
The museum is open from May to October. A Honey Harvest festival is held in August, and the museum features a "Honey Bar".
General references
- Museum celebrates bonding by beekeeping. Baltic Times, August 24, 2000. Accessed 2011-04-15
- Museum of Ancient Beekeeping. Association of Lithuanian Museums. Accessed 2011-04-15.
- Ancient Beekeeping Museum. In Your Pocket City GuidesIn Your Pocket City GuidesIn Your Pocket is a European city guide publisher and online tourist information provider. As of April 2008 it publishes city guides to 68 destinations and provides free online information to over 100 cities in 23 countries in Europe, from Athens to Zürich, Ljubljana, Belfast to Bucharest, Tallinn...
. Accessed 2011-04-15.