Department of Historiography, Source Studies and Archaeology

The Department of Historiography, Source Studies and Archaeology is the first department of its kind in Ukraine. It was established on 1 September 1964 at the initiative of the renowned Ukrainian historian of historiography, Professor V. I. Astakhov. Originally, it was named the Department of Historiography, Auxiliary Historical Disciplines and Methods of Teaching History.
From 1975 to 1978, medieval historians were part of the department. In 1978, archaeologists (B. A. Shramko, V. K. Mikheiev and others) joined the department, and since then it has carried its modern name: Department of Historiography, Source Studies and Archaeology.

Since its establishment, the department has been headed by:
— Prof. V. I. Astakhov (1964–1972)
— Prof. I. L. Sherman (1972–1987)
— Prof. Yu. Y. Zhuravskyi (1987–1991)
— Prof. V. K. Mikheiev (1991–2001)
Since 2001, the department has been chaired by Prof. S. I. Posokhov.

The department’s faculty and staff have made a significant contribution to the development of historical scholarship and education. Associate Professor B. P. Zaitsev, a faculty member, became the founder of emblematics as a specialised historical discipline in Ukraine.
Professor B. A. Shramko, even before joining the department, had established himself as a prominent archaeologist. Together with Professor V. K. Mikheiev, he laid the foundations for the development of archaeology within the department.

The department is organised according to a problem-disciplinary structure, which enables it to offer a wide range of courses and specialised lectures. Faculty members teach not only core subjects (historiography, source studies, archaeology, ethnology, archival studies, methodology of history), but also numerous specialised historical disciplines, museum studies, local history, art history, and a variety of archaeological and archival special courses. All courses are taught using original, author-developed syllabi.

Students acquire practical skills both through practical classes and through academic internships — archaeological, museum-archival, local history, and teaching practice — all supervised by department staff. Students have the opportunity to gain direct experience working in archives, museums, and restoration workshops not only in Kharkiv but also in other cities across Ukraine. They also engage in project activities resulting in presentations, exhibitions, and publications.

The department’s academic staff are authors of textbooks and teaching manuals and regularly complete training internships at leading universities, which ensures a high standard of student preparation.

Two student academic societies operate at the department:
— a group in historiography, source studies, and specialised historical disciplines;
— an archaeological student group.

Archaeological field practice is conducted after the second semester for first-year students and is compulsory. It completes the theoretical course “Archaeology,” taught in the second semester, and lasts for three weeks in July–August. At present, fieldwork takes place within three archaeological expeditions: the Bilsk Expedition, the Germano-Slavic Expedition, and the Medieval Expedition.

The department pursues three main research directions:

Historiography and intellectual history of Eastern Europe in the modern and contemporary periods
Problems of regional studies and heritage studies (based on materials from Slobozhanshchyna)
Archaeological monuments and the ancient history of Left-Bank Ukraine (Bronze Age – Early Middle Ages)

Within these fields, a wide range of topics in historiography, source studies, regional history, archaeology, and related disciplines is explored. Over the years, the department’s scholars have published more than 1,500 scientific, popular-scientific, and methodological works, including 30 monographs and over 15 textbooks.

The department’s staff are active members of professional associations, including the National Union of Local History Researchers (Prof. S. M. Kudelko serves on the Union’s Board), the Union of Archivists, and the Kharkiv Historical and Archaeological Society (Prof. S. I. Posokhov is Co-Chair), as well as other scholarly organisations. They maintain active academic partnerships with colleagues from various research and educational institutions.

Partners

— State Archive of the Kharkiv Region
— Central State Scientific and Technical Archive of Ukraine, Kharkiv
— M. F. Sumtsov Kharkiv Historical Museum
— Kharkiv Art Museum
— “Ukrainica” Department named after T. H. Shevchenko of the V. G. Korolenko Kharkiv State Scientific Library