Meeting to Commemorate Vladimir Grigoryevich Lukonin (1932-1984) Department of Culture and Art of the Orient

On 28 January, 2004, the Dr. Vladimir Grigoryevich Lukonin (1932 - 1984) 72th Birth Anniversary Memorial Conference took place in the Hermitage. Vladimir G. Lukonin was a prominent Iranian scholar who during 20 years headed the Department of the History and Culture of the East.

The conference was opened by Mikhail B. Piotrovsky, Director of the State Hermitage Museum. Staff of the Department of the East of the State Hermitage Museum, representatives of the Department of the East of the St. Petersburg State University and the Institute of Eastern Studies of the Academy of Sciences and colleagues, friends and disciples of Vladimir G. Lukonin took part in the readings. Presentations dealt with the history of ancient and medieval Iran and art of Far East and Central Asia showing the late scholar’s extensive scope of interests. Vladimir Grigoryevich Lukonin was a prominent author of over 70 publications including such important books as Iran under First Sasanians (1961), Culture of Sasanian Iran (1969) and Persia (1967), translated into many languages. He was well-known abroad and was admitted as a correspondent member to the German Institute of Archeology. As a participant of a number of international congresses and co-author of fundamental publications on the history and art of the Ancient East, he corrected some old misconceptions and recreated many aspects of the history, religion, art and culture of Iran.

Vladimir Grigoryevich Lukonin (1932-1984)