HEORHIY HUTSA – A FORGOTTEN FIGURE IN THE HISTORY OF BALKAN STUDIES

The article is devoted to Heorhiy Hutsa (Yuriy Venelin), a prominent 19th-century Slavist and Balkanist whose research laid the foundations of Bulgarian studies and Balkan studies. It examines his contributions to the study of Slavic history and language, as well as ancient Turkic peoples (the Huns, Khazars, and Polovtsians). The article analyzes Hutsa’s key works, the reception of his ideas by contemporaries, methodological features, and his role in the national revival of the Bulgarians. Special attention is given to his interdisciplinary approach and the significance of his ideas for the development of modern Slavic studies and the humanities. The study also compares the “Venelin method” with the scientific work of N.Y. Marr, highlighting similarities in their bold theoretical constructs and the criticism they faced from peers.