LÖNNROT, ELIAS (, Sammatti–, Sammatti), collector of Finnish folk poetry, philologist, and medical doctor.
Lönnrot was a country doctor in the Kainuu district (east-central Finland) for twenty years, during which time he collected and compiled the runic epic poems into the Kalevala (1835, 2nd ed. 1849) and the lyric poems into the Kanteletar (1840). Along with the poetry, he collected proverbs and riddles. Lönnrot was also musical and played both the flute and...