Making a Difference in the World of Mountains, Mountaineering and Mountain Studies: My Research on Sacred Peaks in the Americas, Europe, Australia, and Polynesia, and the Challenges Faced as the Only Female Andean High Altitude Archaeologist in the World

MARÍA CONSTANZA CERUTI

Pacific Grove, California

Congreso; Triennial Meeting of the International Society of Woman Geographers; 2017

International Society of Woman Geographers

As the only Andeanfemale high altitude archaeologist in the world, I have climbed more than one hundred mountains above 5000 meters,including Aconcagua (6.962 m.) - the highest mountain in the western hemisphere- and Pissis (6.882 m) - one of the two highest volcanoes in the world -. Idiscovered and recorded dozens of mountaintop sites, and contributed to expandthe knowledge of the Inca civilization in the Andes. As an anthropologist, I have conducted research on sacredmountains and world´s religions in the Nepal Himalayas, India, Thailand,Australia, Polynesia, Egypt, Morocco, Turkey, Greece, Norway, Italy, France,Spain, Greenland, Canada, Alaska, United States, Mexico, Costa Rica, Ecuador,Brazil, Peru and Chile. I am the author of more than one hundred scientificpublications and twenty books. I co-directed fourarchaeological expeditions funded by the National Geographic Society, incollaboration with Johan Reinhard. On the summit of volcano Llullaillaco(22,100 ft) - the site of the highest archaeological work ever undertaken - wediscovered three of the best preserved mummies in the world, together with numerousobjects of typical Inca style. I coordinated the scientific studies of those findingsfor six years at the Catholic University of Salta, where I direct an Instituteof High Mountain Research. I am an Emerging Explorer of the NGS, a risingtalent of the Womens´s Forum for the Economy and Society and a Ted Fellow. Ihave received an Honorary Doctorate, university gold medals and numerousinternational awards. I have lectured in dozens of universities in Europe, theAmericas and Australia. My contributions have had significant impact ondisciplines including Inca Archaeology, Landscape Archaeology, Andean studies, Ethnohistoryand Glacial Archaeology. In thispresentation I will address the challenges that I have faced to make adifference in the world of mountains, mountaineering and mountain studies.