Causa „Černoboh bamberský“

Ján Kollár (1793 – 1852) was well known Slovak representative, celebrated poet and ideologist. However his scientific career is still not well illuminated. This paper focuses on Kollár's interest in history and his discovery of the supposed Slavic pagan idol. During the honeymoon in autumn 1835 Kollár visited town Bamberg in Germany. Near entrances of the Bamberg cathedral he found two ancient sculptures of lions and copied supposed runic inscription. He believed that they represent Slavic deity "Černoboh" [Dark/Evil God] and that the inscription is evidence of the runic letters of the ancient Slavs. About his discovery he wrote to friends. Pavel Jozef Šafárik (1795 – 1861) informed the scientific spheres and also German scientists began to occupy themselves with problems of the sculptures and inscription. Although the final achievements proved that the inscription was not real Slavic relic and sculptures were created in the Middle Ages, Kollár believed in their authenticity for the rest of his life. The discovery also influenced his later scholar activities, when he became a professor of Slavic archaeology and occupied himself with problems so-called "Prillwitz idols".