Jonas Puzinas

Jonas Puzinas
Puzinas on a 2005 Lithuanian postage stamp
Born(1905-10-01)1 October 1905
Died14 April 1978(1978-04-14) (aged 72)
NationalityLithuanian
Alma materVytautas Magnus University
University of Heidelberg
Occupation(s)Archaeologist, university professor
AwardsOrder of Vytautas the Great

Jonas Puzinas (October 1, 1905 – April 14, 1978) was a Lithuanian archaeologist and specialist on the prehistory of Lithuania. He belonged to the first generation of Lithuanian scholars who matured in independent Lithuania (1918–40). He was the first scientifically trained archaeologist of Lithuania and he laid the foundations, including some of the basic terminology and periodization, for future archaeological studies. His work in Lithuania was cut short by World War II. In 1944, he retreated to Germany and then to the United States. There he continued his academic work, notably editing Lithuanian encyclopedias.