Kon-Tiki Raft Crosses the Pacific Ocean
April 28 - August 7, 1947 · 20th Century
On April 28, 1947, Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl and five companions departed Callao, Peru, aboard Kon-Tiki, a balsa wood raft built using pre-Columbian construction methods. After 101 days and 4,300 miles drifting on the Humboldt Current and trade winds, the raft struck a reef at Raroia atoll in the Tuamotu Archipelago on August 7. All six crew members survived. Heyerdahl mounted the expedition to demonstrate that ancient South Americans could have reached Polynesia by raft, challenging prevailing theories of exclusively westward Asian migration.
Key Figures
Thor Heyerdahl
Locations
Callao, PeruRaroia Atoll
Topics
Pacific migration theoryexperimental archaeologyraft navigationPolynesian originsocean currents
Connected Events — 3 Connections
Heyerdahl's raft voyage demonstrated the feasibility of contact that sweet potato distribution between South America and Polynesia had implied Domestication of Sweet Potato in Peru
Heyerdahl sought to prove feasibility of the South American-to-Polynesia contact route later confirmed by genetics Polynesians Make Contact with South America
Thor Heyerdahl later investigated Easter Island as part of his Pacific migration research Easter Island Moai Statues Erected
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