Johan Reinhard
Encyclopedia
Dr. Johan Reinhard is an Explorer-in-Residence at the National Geographic Society
. He is also a Senior Research Fellow at The Mountain Institute
, West Virginia
, a Visiting Professor at Catholic University, Salta
, Argentina
, and an Honorary Professor of Catholic University, Arequipa
, Peru
. http://www.mountain.org/reinhard/docs/bio/perhist.htm
(giant desert drawings), pre-Hispanic ceremonial sites built on Andean mountain summits, and the ancient ceremonial centers of Machu Picchu
, Chavin
, and Tiahuanaco. During 1989-92 he directed an underwater archaeological research project in Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable lake, that resulted in the discovery of rare Inca and Tiahuanaco artifacts. He has lived more than ten years in the Himalayas, conducting anthropological research primarily in Nepal, but he has also undertaken investigations in Tibet, Bhutan, Sikkim, and the Garhwal Himalaya. His studies included: Himalayan shamanism (traditional religious practitioners); the role of sacred mountains in Tibetan Buddhism and Hinduism; the sacred "hidden lands" of Tibetan Buddhism (six of which he has explored); and one of the world's last nomadic hunting and gathering tribes (the Raute in western Nepal). Elsewhere in Asia he has studied Muslim fishermen (1977) in the Maldive Islands (Indian Ocean). During his time in Nepal, he directed Peace Corps Training Projects, was a member of teams that made some of the first rafting descents of Himalayan rivers (Trisuli and Sun Kosi), and was a member of the successful 1976 American Everest
Expedition.
While living in Austria, Dr. Reinhard participated in an underwater archaeological study (1972) of a Neolithic site at Mondsee. He was also a member of teams which undertook nautical archaeological research of Roman shipwrecks in the Mediterranean Sea off southern Italy (1965 and 1967) and of an Iron Age Villanovan village (1965) in an Italian lake (Lago di Bolsena). He participated in underwater archaeological investigations of sacred lakes of the Incas in the craters of Licancabur in 1981-82 (at 19,300 ft the world's highest dives) and Paniri (19,100 ft) in 1983 and in lower-lying lakes near Cuzco in 1987 and 2004 (Lakes Urcos, Huacarpay and Piuray, and in the highlands of Ecuador (2009), while in 2007 and 2010 he was a member of teams that investigated sacred lakes of the Aztecs in craters on Mt. Toluca in Mexico and underwater archaeological sites in Lake Issyk Kul in Kyrgyzstan in 2010.
He has investigated traditional religious beliefs and climbed sacred mountains in Greece (2002) and in Bali, Indonesia (2007). He has served as a cinematographer for the BBC, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Scientific Film Institute of Germany, and his research has been featured in several TV documentaries, including National Geographic Explorer, BBC, NOVA, PBS, and Discovery. He has lectured on cruise ships traveling in the Caribbean, along the Pacific coast of South America, and to Antarctica, the Galapagos, and Easter Island, and also lectured on round-the-world flights for the National Geographic Society. He speaks Spanish, Nepali, and German, and undertook analysis of two unwritten languages: Raji (a Tibeto-Burman language of Nepal) and Kusunda
, one of the world's rarest languages.
(the "Ice Maiden"). His expeditions in the Andes during 1996-1999 led to the discovery of fourteen more Inca human sacrifices on five mountains above 18,000 ft (5,500 m). In 1999 he directed the excavations of three perfectly preserved mummies at over 22,000 feet (6,739 m) on Llullaillaco, the world’s highest archaeological site. In 1995 and 1999 Time selected Dr. Reinhard's finds as among “the world's ten most important scientific discoveries” of those years.
, the Society for American Archaeology, the Explorers Club
, the Institute of Andean Studies, and the Royal Geographical Society
. Three museums have been built to exhibit the archeological finds made during his expeditions: the Museo Santuarios Andinos (Museum of Andean Sanctuaries) in Arequipa (Peru
); the Museo de Arqueologia de Alta Montana (MAAM) (Museum of High Mountain Archaeology) in Salta (Argentina
); and a site museum in the village of Challapampa, Island of the Sun, Lake Titicaca
(Bolivia
). He has received several awards for his research in the Andes
, including the Rolex Award for Enterprise in 1987, the Puma de Oro (Bolivia's highest award in the field of archaeology) in 1992, the Gold Medal of the city of Arequipa in 1996, and the Explorers Medal of the Explorers Club in 2002. In 2000 he was selected by Outside magazine as one of “today’s 25 most extraordinary explorers,” and in 2001 the Ford Motor Company chose him as one of twelve "Heroes for the Planet." His latest books include "The Ice Maiden: Inca Mummies, Mountain Gods, and Sacred Sites in the Andes" (2005), "Machu Picchu: Exploring an Ancient Sacred Center" (2007), and "Inca Rituals and Sacred Mountains: A Study of the World's Highest Archaeological Sites" (with Constanza Ceruti) (2010).
National Geographic Society
The National Geographic Society , headquartered in Washington, D.C. in the United States, is one of the largest non-profit scientific and educational institutions in the world. Its interests include geography, archaeology and natural science, the promotion of environmental and historical...
. He is also a Senior Research Fellow at The Mountain Institute
The Mountain Institute
The Mountain Institute is an international non-profit organization dedicated to conservation, community development, and cultural preservation in the Andes, Appalachians, Himalayas, and other mountain ranges of the world...
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, a Visiting Professor at Catholic University, Salta
Salta
Salta is a city in northwestern Argentina and the capital city of the Salta Province. Along with its metropolitan area, it has a population of 464,678 inhabitants as of the , making it Argentina's eighth largest city.-Overview:...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, and an Honorary Professor of Catholic University, Arequipa
Arequipa
Arequipa is the capital city of the Arequipa Region in southern Peru. With a population of 836,859 it is the second most populous city of the country...
, Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
. http://www.mountain.org/reinhard/docs/bio/perhist.htm
Career
Born in Joliet, Illinois, he began his undergraduate studies at the University of Arizona, before going on to receive his Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of Vienna, Austria (1974). Much of Dr. Reinhard's current research focuses on the sacred beliefs and cultural practices of mountain peoples and in the preservation of their cultural patrimony, especially in the Andes and the Himalayas. He has conducted anthropological field research since 1980 in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, and Peru. His investigations have led him to present theories to explain the mystery of the Nazca LinesNazca Lines
The Nazca Lines are a series of ancient geoglyphs located in the Nazca Desert in southern Peru. They were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. The high, arid plateau stretches more than between the towns of Nazca and Palpa on the Pampas de Jumana about 400 km south of Lima...
(giant desert drawings), pre-Hispanic ceremonial sites built on Andean mountain summits, and the ancient ceremonial centers of Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu is a pre-Columbian 15th-century Inca site located above sea level. It is situated on a mountain ridge above the Urubamba Valley in Peru, which is northwest of Cusco and through which the Urubamba River flows. Most archaeologists believe that Machu Picchu was built as an estate for...
, Chavin
Chavin
Chavin may refer to:* Chavín culture, an early culture of the Andean region, pre-dating the Moche culture in Peru* Chavín de Huantar, an archaeological site built by the Chavín culture* Chavin, Indre, a commune of the Indre département in France...
, and Tiahuanaco. During 1989-92 he directed an underwater archaeological research project in Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable lake, that resulted in the discovery of rare Inca and Tiahuanaco artifacts. He has lived more than ten years in the Himalayas, conducting anthropological research primarily in Nepal, but he has also undertaken investigations in Tibet, Bhutan, Sikkim, and the Garhwal Himalaya. His studies included: Himalayan shamanism (traditional religious practitioners); the role of sacred mountains in Tibetan Buddhism and Hinduism; the sacred "hidden lands" of Tibetan Buddhism (six of which he has explored); and one of the world's last nomadic hunting and gathering tribes (the Raute in western Nepal). Elsewhere in Asia he has studied Muslim fishermen (1977) in the Maldive Islands (Indian Ocean). During his time in Nepal, he directed Peace Corps Training Projects, was a member of teams that made some of the first rafting descents of Himalayan rivers (Trisuli and Sun Kosi), and was a member of the successful 1976 American Everest
Mount Everest
Mount Everest is the world's highest mountain, with a peak at above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. The international boundary runs across the precise summit point...
Expedition.
While living in Austria, Dr. Reinhard participated in an underwater archaeological study (1972) of a Neolithic site at Mondsee. He was also a member of teams which undertook nautical archaeological research of Roman shipwrecks in the Mediterranean Sea off southern Italy (1965 and 1967) and of an Iron Age Villanovan village (1965) in an Italian lake (Lago di Bolsena). He participated in underwater archaeological investigations of sacred lakes of the Incas in the craters of Licancabur in 1981-82 (at 19,300 ft the world's highest dives) and Paniri (19,100 ft) in 1983 and in lower-lying lakes near Cuzco in 1987 and 2004 (Lakes Urcos, Huacarpay and Piuray, and in the highlands of Ecuador (2009), while in 2007 and 2010 he was a member of teams that investigated sacred lakes of the Aztecs in craters on Mt. Toluca in Mexico and underwater archaeological sites in Lake Issyk Kul in Kyrgyzstan in 2010.
He has investigated traditional religious beliefs and climbed sacred mountains in Greece (2002) and in Bali, Indonesia (2007). He has served as a cinematographer for the BBC, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Scientific Film Institute of Germany, and his research has been featured in several TV documentaries, including National Geographic Explorer, BBC, NOVA, PBS, and Discovery. He has lectured on cruise ships traveling in the Caribbean, along the Pacific coast of South America, and to Antarctica, the Galapagos, and Easter Island, and also lectured on round-the-world flights for the National Geographic Society. He speaks Spanish, Nepali, and German, and undertook analysis of two unwritten languages: Raji (a Tibeto-Burman language of Nepal) and Kusunda
Kusunda
The Kusunda or Ban Raja , known to themselves as the Mihaq or Myahq The Kusunda or Ban Raja ("people of the forest"), known to themselves as the Mihaq or Myahq The Kusunda or Ban Raja ("people of the forest"), known to themselves as the Mihaq or Myahq (The Kusunda or Ban Raja ("people of the...
, one of the world's rarest languages.
Discoveries
While making over 200 ascents in the Andes, he led expeditions resulting in the discovery of more than 40 high altitude Inca ritual sites. He directed teams that recovered four Inca human sacrifices on Ampato (6,312 m) in southern Peru, including the Mummy JuanitaMummy Juanita
Momia Juanita , also known as the Inca Ice Maiden and Lady of Ampato, is the well-preserved frozen body of an Incan girl who was killed as an offering to the Inca gods sometime between 1450 and 1480, at approximately 11–15 years old...
(the "Ice Maiden"). His expeditions in the Andes during 1996-1999 led to the discovery of fourteen more Inca human sacrifices on five mountains above 18,000 ft (5,500 m). In 1999 he directed the excavations of three perfectly preserved mummies at over 22,000 feet (6,739 m) on Llullaillaco, the world’s highest archaeological site. In 1995 and 1999 Time selected Dr. Reinhard's finds as among “the world's ten most important scientific discoveries” of those years.
Literature
Dr. Reinhard has over seventy publications and is a member of several organizations, including the American Anthropological AssociationAmerican Anthropological Association
The American Anthropological Association is a professional organization of scholars and practitioners in the field of anthropology. With 11,000 members, the Arlington, Virginia based association includes archaeologists, cultural anthropologists, biological anthropologists, linguistic...
, the Society for American Archaeology, the Explorers Club
The Explorers Club
The Explorers Club is a professional society dedicated to scientific exploration of Earth, its oceans, and outer space. Founded in 1904 in New York City, it currently has 30 branches world wide...
, the Institute of Andean Studies, and the Royal Geographical Society
Royal Geographical Society
The Royal Geographical Society is a British learned society founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical sciences...
. Three museums have been built to exhibit the archeological finds made during his expeditions: the Museo Santuarios Andinos (Museum of Andean Sanctuaries) in Arequipa (Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
); the Museo de Arqueologia de Alta Montana (MAAM) (Museum of High Mountain Archaeology) in Salta (Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
); and a site museum in the village of Challapampa, Island of the Sun, Lake Titicaca
Lake Titicaca
Lake Titicaca is a lake located on the border of Peru and Bolivia. It sits 3,811 m above sea level, making it the highest commercially navigable lake in the world...
(Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
). He has received several awards for his research in the Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
, including the Rolex Award for Enterprise in 1987, the Puma de Oro (Bolivia's highest award in the field of archaeology) in 1992, the Gold Medal of the city of Arequipa in 1996, and the Explorers Medal of the Explorers Club in 2002. In 2000 he was selected by Outside magazine as one of “today’s 25 most extraordinary explorers,” and in 2001 the Ford Motor Company chose him as one of twelve "Heroes for the Planet." His latest books include "The Ice Maiden: Inca Mummies, Mountain Gods, and Sacred Sites in the Andes" (2005), "Machu Picchu: Exploring an Ancient Sacred Center" (2007), and "Inca Rituals and Sacred Mountains: A Study of the World's Highest Archaeological Sites" (with Constanza Ceruti) (2010).
External links
- Johan Reinhard's website
- National Geographic Portrait
- Museum of High Altitude Archaeology (Salta) http://www.maam.org.ar/
- Catholic University's Institute of High Altitude Archaeology (Salta) http://www.camdipsalta.gov.ar/INFSALTA/ARQUEO/M1.htm