October/November 2004
News

Extreme Archaeology at the World's Highest Archaeological Site

The University played host to a special public lecture by Argentinian high-altitude archaeologist Dr Constanza Ceruti when she made her first visit to the United Kingdom.

Dr Constanza Ceruti with one of the mummies, a seven-year-old boy from Llullaillaco.

Dr Ceruti talked about her part in the discovery in 1999 of three of the best-preserved mummies in the world, found together with gold and silver statues and sumptuous objects on the summit of Volcán Llullaillaco (22,100 feet) in Argentina - the site of the highest archaeological work ever undertaken.

Dr Ceruti co-led the archaeological expedition, funded by the National Geographic Society together with Explorer-in-Residence Dr Johan Reinhard. The discovery was hailed by Time magazine as one of the ten most important scientific discoveries in the world during 1999.

The University's Dr Andrew Wilson (pictured left with Dr Ceruti), who collaborates with Dr Ceruti, said: "We were very honoured that Dr Ceruti was able to visit the University to talk about this unique discovery."

Dr Ceruti visited Bradford on her way to the 5th World Congress on Mummy Studies in Turin, Italy. The talk was made possible with funding from the 44th Congress on Americanists Fund. Dr Ceruti was born in Buenos Aires in 1973. She has become a specialist in the field of high-altitude archaeology, studying Inca ceremonial centres on the summits of Andean mountains. At present, she is an honorary Director of the Institute of High Mountain Research at Catholic University of Salta, Argentina.

Dr Ceruti has climbed over 75 mountains above 16,500 feet within the context of systematic archaeological research, which has resulted in more than 20 publications and has earned her the Gold Medal for academic excellence from the University of Buenos Aires.

She has been twice on top of Mount Aconcagua (22,840 feet) - the highest mountain in the Americas - and on the summit of Mount Pissis (22,578 feet) - the highest volcano in the world; as well as on other peaks in Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru, Chile and Argentina.

Her mountaineering achievements have been recognised with the Gold Condor - the most important award given by the National Army of Argentina. She is the first woman to hold this award. In 1999 she was nominated for 'Woman of the Year' in Argentina.

20 October 2004

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