The beginning

Thor Heyerdahl 1914-2002 was one of the most renowned Norwegian scientists. He followed in the adventurous tradition of Roald Amundsen and Fritjof Nansen. The main theory of Thor Heyerdahl was that the large oceans rather connected people than separated them in old times. He was a strong believer in cultural diffusion.

Larvik/Oslo, Norway (1914-1936)

Larvik and Oslo are where Thor Heyerdahl became interested in Polynesia.

Thor Heyerdahl was born October 6 in 1914 in Larvik, a whaling city of Norway. His mother – head of the local museums association – inspired him to be interested in zoology and anthropology. Already as a little boy he knew he was going to become a discoverer. In 1933 he started to study biology and geography at the University of Oslo. There he met Bjarne Kroepelien who had traveled in Polynesia before World War I and even got engaged to the daughter of chief Teriieroo of Tahiti. Kroepelien and his books about Polynesia were of great importance for Heyerdahls further interest in the area. Later he got a letter of recommendation from Kroepelien to give to chief Teriieroo.

See map