THE CONTRIBUTION OF L. I. TEGAKO TO ANTHROPOLOGY OF BELARUS

Sažetak

L.I. Tegako started her studies of anthropology in the middle of 1960s when she received her
research degree. The scope of her scientific interest included odontology and
dermatoglyphics. For more than 40 years L.I. Tegako was a permanent supervisor of the
group and later of the Anthropology department. From the beginning of 1970s Belarusian
anthropologists started conducting complex anthropologic studies of the adult population of
the republic in various parts of the country (anthropometry, anthroposcopy, dermatoglyphics,
blood group factor). Comprehensive approach became the basis for studies of anthropogenic
variety of local population on the territory of Belarus. In 1998 the team of anthropologists
supervised by L.I. Tegako won a State Prize of the Republic of Belarus for the scope of work
on the topic “Person and his biocultural adaptation”. In 2000s the scope of L.I. Tegako’s
scientific interest included the determination of intersystemic correlations between
dermatoglyphical and psychosomatic characteristics. During her academic career, L.I.
Tegako published 17 monographs, 6 study guides, 11 brochures and 209 research papers.
Lidiya Ivanovna worked at leading universities in the country; she had 7 students who
completed PhD thesis. Since 1999 she worked as a professor of biology. L.I. Tegako
deserves a credit for the organization of anthropological conferences in Minsk. She devoted a
lot of attention to the international cooperation. As a result, L.I. Tegako contributed to the
establishment of stable scientific and friendly ties with Serbian colleagues: Institute of History
of the NAS of Belarus and Matica Srpska made a partnership agreement. This includes
exchange of experience, scientific works, and realization of joint projects.