LTŠiame straipsnyje nušviečiamos knygos atsiradimo aplinkybės, būtent tai, kad ji išsirutuliojo iš darbo LKTI ilgalaikėje programoje „Kultūrų kaita ir sąveika XXI a. iššūkių sąlygomis“. Nusakomas leidinio tikslas ir pobūdis. Tikslas yra tirti kultūros istorijos rašytinius šaltinius, šitaip juos aktualizuojant. Kultūra turi daug aspektų, jos istorija apima įvairius periodus: nuo ištakų raidos pakopomis iki nūdienos. Vienam mokslininkui aprėpti visus kultūros istoriją atspindinčius šaltinius būtų sudėtinga. Nes jie pasižymi epochos savybėmis - tapsmu, sandaros komponentais, kalba. Tyrimo objekto sudėtingumas sąlygoja tai, kad knygoje publikuojamas tyrimas yra tarpdalykinis, - jame dalyvauja skirtingų humanitarinių sričių specialistai. Visų jų tekstai yra nauji, parašyti specialiai šiam leidiniui. Kiekvienas tyrėjas, siekdamas sužinoti daugiau apie praeities kultūrą, jos tarpsnius ir procesus, pristato bei analizuoja vis kitus istorinius rašytinius šaltinius, atspindinčius kultūros procesus bei reiškinius. Tai yra seni traktatai, kronikos, kiti archyviniai dokumentai. Teksto autorė glaustai pristato kultūros istorinius šaltinius tiriančių autorių straipsnius. Raktiniai žodžiai: kultūros istorija, šaltiniai, 2024 m. mokslinė konferencija, LKTI ilgalaikė programa, filosofija, teologija, etnologija, Egon Priedeli, Lietuvos mokslininkai.
ENThis article highlights the circumstances surrounding the creation of the book, specifically that it emerged as researchers at the Lithuanian Institute of Cultural Studies were working within the framework of the Institutes long-term program ‘Cultural Change and Interaction in the Context of 21st-Century Challenges.’ The goal of our publication aligns with one of the objectives of that program - to study sources of cultural history and thereby actualize them, as they form the foundation of knowledge about culture. The book also includes contributions from several scholars who are not part of this program. In 2024, our Institute hosted a scholarly conference dedicated to the theme of cultural history sources. This book examines a broad spectrum of written sources: ancient philosophical and religious treatises, historical chronicles, as well as cultural documents from later periods and contemporary times. The research conducted is interdisciplinary, bringing together the efforts of humanities scholars from various fields to analyse written sources of cultural history. Different Specialists are involved depending on the object of study—culture—which is a multilayered and multi-meaning phenomenon. In international scholarship, the importance of philosophy to cultural history has long been recognized, as the consciousness of each era depends on its philosophy. Religion was also an inseparable part of past cultures, which is why the study of cultural history requires the involvement of a theologian and Specialists in religion. Naturally, historians are essential as well, capable of analyzing various historical sources, while ethnologists are needed to understand and interpret ancient customs. The articles in the book are arranged chronologically—from the earliest sources examined to contemporary documents.The structure of the book, consisting of three chapters, is based on both chronology and thematic commonality among the authors. This article presents the contributions of the authors who analyse these sources in the book. Keywords: cultural history, Egon Priedeli, sources, 2024 scholarly conference, Lithuanian Institute of Cultural Studies long-term program, philosophers, historians, theologian, ethnologists.