Guide to the Ioan P. Culianu Papers 1883-1991


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Table of Contents

• Descriptive Summary
• Information on Use
• Access
• Citation
• Biographical Note
• Scope Note
• Related Resources
• Subject Headings
• INVENTORY
• Series I: Correspondence, 1975-1991
• Series II: Mircea Eliade
• Series III: Writings by Culianu
• Series IV: Writings by Others
• Series V: Restricted

Descriptive Summary

Information on Use

Access

Series V: Restricted, contains a single file of class lists from 1990, listing student grades. This material is restricted until 2070.

The remainder of the collection is open for research.

Citation

When quoting material from this collection, the preferred citation is: Culianu, Ioan P. Papers, [Box #, Folder #], Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library

Biographical Note

Ioan Petru Culianu (1950-1991), historian of religions, essayist and fiction writer, served on the faculty of the University of Chicago's Divinity School. Mentored by Mircea Eliade, Culianu specialized in the history of Renaissance magic and mysticism.

Born in Iaşi, Romania, Culianu was educated at the University of Bucharest and in Italy. He eventually earned three doctoral degrees, including a Ph.D. from the University of Paris in 1987. He lived in France and the Netherlands before arriving at the University of Chicago as a visiting lecturer, and then became a professor in the Divinity School.

Culianu wrote proficiently in six languages. Among his works are Eros and Magic in the Renaissance; Expériences de l'extase: extase, ascension et récit visionnaire de l'hellénisme au Moyen Age; The Tree of Gnosis: Gnostic Mythology from Early Christianity to Modern Nihilism; and Out of the World: Otherwordly Journeys from Gilgamesh to Albert Einstein. Culianu also wrote fiction and essays, including political pieces opposing Romania's post-Revolution regime.

On May 21, 1991, Culianu was murdered in a restroom in the University of Chicago's Swift Hall. Neither the motive nor the killer's identity is known, though numerous theories have been advanced, many related to Culianu's criticism of Romanian politics.

Scope Note

This collection documents Culianu's activities as an historian of religions, including his relationships with colleagues and his mentor, Mircea Eliade. While material in this collection spans the years 1883-1991, the bulk of material dates from 1974-1991. This collection is organized into five series:

Series I: Correspondence, 1975-1991, includes primarily incoming correspondence, with a few copies of outgoing letters. Most of the correspondence is professional in nature, and most correspondents are Culianu's colleagues at universities in the United States and Europe. A small amount of administrative correspondence is also included. Reprints of writings by correspondents accompany many of the letters. Additional correspondence is found in Series II and IV.

Series II: Mircea Eliade, is a collection of material related to Culianu's mentor, a leading scholar of religious studies. Much of this material was compiled shortly after Eliade's death in 1986, and relates to Culianu's work as his literary executor. Material in this series spans the years 1971-1989, and includes drafts of writings about Eliade by Culianu and other colleagues; editorial and personal correspondence; reprints of Eliade's writings; and memorial material such as obituaries. Additional writings by Culianu and his colleagues, including some material related to Eliade, are found in Series III and IV.

Series III: Writings by Culianu, contains several files of manuscripts, drafts and notes; these files are organized chronologically. Also included in this series are a set of reprints of Italian-language writings, mostly book reviews, published from 1974-1986. Following are chronological files of reprints of writings published from 1980-1991. Additional writings by Culianu are found in Series II.

Series IV: Writings by Others, consists of colleagues' manuscripts sent to Culianu for review, organized alphabetically by author; two files of student papers; and a a large collection of reprints, periodicals and photocopied texts, filed chronologically. Material in this series spans the years 1883-1991, with the bulk of material dating from 1974-1990. Additional writings by Eliade's colleagues are found in Series III.

Series V: Restricted, contains a single file of class lists from 1990, listing student grades.

While much of the material in this collection is in English, there are significant portions in Italian, Romanian, German, French, Dutch and Greek.

Related Resources

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Eliade, Mircea. Papers

Subject Headings

• Culianu, Ioan P.
• Eliade, Mircea, 1907-1986
• Magic -- History
• Occultism -- History
• Religions -- History

INVENTORY