Profession: Ethnographer, Archaeologist and Explorer
Biography: Heyerdahl caught the public's attention with his daring and spectacular expeditions increasing public interest in archaeology and ancient history.
On his 1947 expedition on the Kon-Tiki, Heyerdahl and five fellow adventurers demonstrated that long-distance ocean voyages in ancient boat designs were possible. In the Kon-Tiki, Heyerdahl sailed 8,000 km (5,000 mi) across the Pacific Ocean in a hand built raft from South America to the Tuamotu Islands in French Polynesia.
The success of expedition demonstrated how ancient people could have sailed large distances in 'simple' water craft to colonize the remote and widely dispersed Pacific islands.
Born: October 6, 1914
Birthplace: Larvik, Norway
Generation: Greatest Generation
Chinese Zodiac: Tiger
Star Sign: Libra
Died: April 18, 2002 (aged 87)
Cause of Death: Brain tumor
Historical Events
- 1947-04-28 Thor Heyerdahl and the crew of the "Kon-Tiki" sail from Peru to Polynesia
- 1947-08-07 Thor Heyerdahl and the crew of the Kon-Tiki crash into a reef in the Tuamotu Islands, French Polynesia after 101 days crossing the Pacific Ocean
- 1970-07-12 Thor Heyerdahl crosses the Atlantic ocean on the raft Ra II, arrives in Barbados from Morocco after 57 days
Gertrude Bell
Hiram Bingham
Louis Leakey
Ferdinand Magellan
Vasco da Gama
William Clark