Mircea Eliade was a Romanian historian of religion, philosopher, and fiction writer, born in 1907. He is best known for his work on the nature of religious experience and the concept of the sacred and the profane. Eliade's studies explored how different cultures understand and express their spirituality, emphasizing the importance of myths and rituals in human life. Eliade's influential books, such as The Sacred and the Profane and Myth and Reality, have shaped the field of religious studies. He served as a professor at the University of Chicago, where he contributed to the academic understanding of religion's role in society and culture.