Professor Doctor Mark TIRTA, ethnologist, was born at Orosh/Mirdite on 21st of May 1935; He was graduated in History - Linguistics at University of Tirana in 1961. During the years 1955 - 1957 and 1961 – 1967, he has been a teacher in Mirdite, mostly as school director and educational inspector of this province.
From 1961 till now, parallel with the work in teaching, he focused obviously in searching at the field of ethno culture, like gathering of ethnographic and folkloric materials, discovering and describing new Arberore (Albanian) Medieval archeological centers and Illyrian and Roman culture; Under his care was opened a museum in Rreshen (1967) and were gathered thoponimes, anthroponimes and rarely words. He published different articles and also consigned objects and writings to the archives of Tirana. As a result of this researching work, in 1968, he was promoted professional ethnologist at Historical-Linguistics Institute, Branch of Ethnology at University of Tirana, (now Folkloric Culture Institute of Sciences Academy in Tirana), work that he keeps on doing until now.
He made his post-graduation qualification at the field of ethnology. His dissertation was a theme from ethnology. In 1978 he took \"Candidate of sciences\" degree; in 1983 he became \"Old Scientific Collaborator\"; in 1989 he took “Doctor of Science” degree, and in 1994 he took the “Professor Doctor” degree.
He has written about 300 scientific and cultural works on the field of Albanian mythology and so on, mostly on topics: mythology and religions, migrations of Albanians, but he has worked also on topics: Family, folkloric art, popular juridical code, social life of peasantry, folkloric costumes, thoponimes from ethnological prospects, problems of provincial and ethnical development of Albanians, history of ethnology and famous persons, critics and bibliography. A considerable part of his works has been published in foreign languages in many periodical scientific magazines abroad. This ethnologist has participated with his works in scientific sessions, symposiums, conferences, national and international scientific congress within country and abroad in about 90 cases.
He has collaborated in doing the great works like \"Balkan Civilization\"- published under the care of UNESCO; \"The Atlas of Danube Countries\"- directed by Institute of Studies for South-Eastern Europe Wien; \"Albanian Encyclopedic Vocabulary\", \"Albanian Folkloric Costumes\", \"Albanian Canon Law”.
For many years he is giving ethnology lectures at University of Tirana. He, also, gives the lectures \"Ethnology of South-Eastern Europe and Mediterranean\" at University of Pristine/Kosovo. He continues to lead young researchers as mentor in preparations to get the Master and Doctor’s Scientific Degrees.
His most important works are: “Migrime tė Shqiptarėve”(The Migrations of Albanians) 1999, “Veshjet popullore shqiptare” (Albanian Folk Costumes) (with Co-authors) Volume I 1999, and Volume II 2001, “Etnologjia e pėrgjithshme”(General Ethnology) 2001, “Etnologjia e Shqiptarėve”(Albanians Ethnology) 2003 and “Mitologjia ndėr Shqiptarė” (Mythology among Albanians) 2004. |
