Eliade, Mircea (1907–1986)

Romanian philosopher and anthropologist of religion. He was a leading figure in the phenomenology of religion, bringing anthropological insights and data to bear on the phenomena of religion. His influence has been extensive and his studies of previously marginalized religious groups, such as the shamans, led to a re-evaluation of many aspects of religious practice and history.

Eliade was born in Bucharest and studied there and at the University of Calcutta, India. He moved to Paris, France, 1945, and worked in the USA from 1956 as professor at Chicago.

His most significant books include From Primitives to Zen: A Thematic Sourcebook of the History of Religion and Patterns in Comparative Religion 1958. He was editor in chief of a 16-volume Encyclopedia of Religion published 1987.