Expedition to Llullaillaco - The World’s Highest Archaeological Site (Argentina) (1999)

Llullaillaco (6,739 m/22,109 ft) is a volcano located on the border of Argentina and Chile that has the world’s highest archaeological site on its summit. While camped two weeks near the summit in March 1999, our expedition (co-directed with Constanza Ceruti) recovered three frozen Inca mummies and accompanying artifacts, all of which were exceptionally well-preserved and surveyed in context. (In April 1999 we returned with a National Geographic TV team to film additional scenes on the volcano. The video presented here consists of footage I took during our expedition to Llullaillaco in March 1999.) The urgency of the research was obvious because the volcano is isolated with looters having destroyed over a dozen prehispanic burials in a cemetery at the base of the mountain, and only a couple of weeks before we had recovered part of an Inca mummy that looters had dynamited on Quehuar (6,130 m/20,111 ft) not far distant. Some misconceptions (not to mention bizarre myths) still exist surrounding the expedition and for that reason, I have provided a link (see below) to the three chapters of my book “The Ice Maiden“ (2006 edition) that describe the arrangements that were made before our expedition left Salta in 1999 (first in early February to Quehuar as preparation for Llullaillaco), the events surrounding the discovery of the three Llullaillaco mummies, and what occurred during and after our return from Llullaillaco to Salta. If pressed for time, the pages that briefly deal with some key issues can be found on pp. 260-264 (team members, institutions, and permit), 272-277 (arrangements for the conservation of mummies before leaving for Llullaillaco), 303-304 & 311-318 (return to Salta with the mummies), and 336-338 (indigenous peoples). I have also provided a link (see below) to a Spanish translation of the three pertinent chapters. NOTE: This video consists of documentary footage. Archaeologists occasionally provide information in English and Spanish, but it otherwise lacks narration. It uses only free online music, and it has not been edited to make it shorter and more entertaining. But it is as far as I could get before other work intervened, and improvements will have to wait for the distant future. Suggestions are welcome (jr@)! PHOTO ALBUMS 1. Llullaillaco expeditions of 1999: 2. Llullaillaco mummies, lab & museum: 3. Llullaillaco artifacts: 4. Llullaillaco expeditions of 1983-85: 5. Quehuar Expeditions 1981 & 1999: 6. Chañi Expedition 2000: PUBLICATIONS 1. An academic publication (with co-author Constanza Ceruti) that includes the results of investigations of several high-altitude Inca sites (using Llullaillaco as the case study) is “Inca Rituals & Sacred Mountains: A Study of the World’s Highest Archaeological Sites“ (2010): 2. “Investigaciones Arqueológicas en el Volcán Llullaillaco“ (2000) (with co-author Constanza Ceruti) is our preliminary, academic publication in Spanish of the results of the 1999 Llullaillaco expedition: 3. For a popular account of the initial preparations and expeditions to Quehuar & Llullaillaco, see Chapters 10-12 of “The Ice Maiden” (2006 revised edition): 4. Para un relato popular de los preparativos iniciales y expediciones a Quehuar y Llullaillaco, véanse los capítulos 10-12 de “The Ice Maiden” en español: 5. Llullaillaco - Alcohol & Coca Use (2013) 6. Llullaillaco - Stable Isotope, DNA Evidence & Inca Child Sacrifice (2007) VIDEOS (Related) 1. Llullaillaco - “The Inca Maiden“ is a film about the Llullaillaco mummies & laboratory research: 2. Llullaillaco - La Momia del Hielo (1999): Spanish version of “The Ice Mummies“: 2. Quehuar Expedition Documentary (1999): 3. Chañi Expedition Documentary (2000): NOTE: PDFs of publications and links to photo albums and videos relating to these and other high-altitude archaeology expeditions in the Andes can be found at .