Thor Heyerdahl: Your tributes

The renowned Norwegian explorer and archaeologist Thor Heyerdahl has died of cancer at the age of 87.

He passed away in his family home at Colla Micheri, northern Italy, after a long illness.

Heyerdahl is best remembered as the Kon-Tiki man. In 1947 he skippered the tiny balsawood raft on a 6,000 kilometre journey from Peru to Polynesia.

It proved, he said, that ancient cultures could have sailed to, and populated, the South Pacific.

Send us your tributes to the late explorer Thor Heyerdahl.

This Talking Point has now closed. Read a selection of your comments below.

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Thank you Thor - for everything! You achieved more than the rest of us can ever dream of. You gave us dreams and adventures. Your view of mankind sets a good example for all of us. You had enormous courage and stood firm by your theories in spite of criticism. You made me proud of being Norwegian.
Hanne Heglum, Norway

I am rather sad to know him gone. Now we will never know whether he could have carried his latest exploit to fruition, namely the archaeological discovery of Valhalla.
Einar Bjarnason, Iceland

If it wasn't for people like you we would still believe we are on a 'flat earth'

Nitin, UK/Africa/India

A troubadour to modern thinking - well done Thor....you are a name that will never be forgotten....if it wasn't for people like you we would still believe we are on a 'flat earth'...thanks for opening up our eyes. 'More Thor, less war'.
Nitin, UK/Africa/India

The bravery and belief of Thor were an inspiration to us all. He was not afraid to challenge the beliefs of the 'learned minds', and he achieved so much. Thank you Thor...you will be sorely missed. Good luck on your final sail.
Ross McDonald, England

If every policymaker and consultant of the World Bank, the IMF and the World Trade Organization, were to truly draw inspiration from the life and work of Thor Heyerdahl, they would seriously reconsider what they are actually doing to the existence of the overwhelming mass of humanity. Harry, Colombo
Harry Spencer, Sri Lanka

Thor Heyerdahl has always made me proud of being a Norwegian. His memory will help us steer through the rough waters of ethnic and environmental conflicts.
Knut, Norway

A great explorer, great humanitarian and a great Norwegian

Chris, UK

I only came back from Oslo a month ago having visited the Kon Tiki Museum. I am sorry to see that Thor has died. A great explorer, great humanitarian and a great Norwegian. Rest In Peace Thor.
Chris, UK

Thank you Thor for connecting us all through our common heritage. You were a remarkable explorer and adventurer and a role model and inspiration to many of us.
Alexandra, The Netherlands

My family's heritage is of that of Pacific Islanders. I remember reading Kon-Tiki as a ten year old. I couldn't put it down. I also developed a curiosity and liking for dried pineapple because of his book. As a European, Heyerdahl had much respect for the abilities of ancient and primitive mariners and peoples. How open-minded and humane he was in his view of all peoples. He remains a personal hero of mine.
Antonio Ooka, US

One of the great men of the 1900's

Sandi Waters, Florida/USA

One of the great men of the 1900's. What energy, drive and determination! The Kon Tiki is my favourite book. I pray that he is enjoying adventures beyond his wildest imaginations in other realms of God's creations. Farewell Thor.
Sandi Waters, Florida/USA

To Mark, UK; It matters not whether he was right or wrong, what matters is that he asked questions and provoked debate. There is no greater legacy for a true scientist.
Allyson, UK

Isn't it strange how the minute somebody dies, the truth goes out of the window? Thor Heyerdahl was a great adventurer -- indeed on of the greatest of the late 20th century. Why can't people just settle for that and stop pretending he was a brilliant archaeologist and anthropologist as well? Most of Mr Heyerdahl's theories have been concussively proven to have been not just wrong, but wrong-headed - starting with the Kon-Tiki voyage. Ample archaeological evidence has made it clear that Mr Heyerdahl made his voyage in the wrong direction. Furthermore, the underlying thinking in his work is that if prove something is possible, you prove that it actually happened. Others might argue this shows his scant knowledge of and scant regard for the scientific method and scholarly work.
Mark, UK

Thank you Mr Heyerdahl for what you did for humans, history and for the environment. May God be with you. Rest In Peace.
Mikaela Ronstad, Norway

As a child, I read the Thor Heyerdahl's account of his Kon-Tiki expedition and was awed and inspired by his vision and his daring. I am now saddened to learn of his long illness and recent death, and wish him peaceful waters for the journey ahead.
Linda, UK

I have been captivated by Thor's account of his Kon Tiki expedition

Beda Berry, Hawaii, USA

I have been captivated by Thor's account of his Kon Tiki expedition for the last month, as I've been reading the book. I live in Hawaii, and would like to pay tribute to a man who was a great writer, a great adventurer, and one of the most progressive thinkers of our time. Underestimated in theory, Thor Heyerdahl simply rocked.
Beda Berry, Hawaii, USA

Thor Heyerdayl was an original and lateral thinker, prepared at all times to challenge academic dogma and always ready to back-up his own theories with dynamic and visionary field research. Through his expeditions and books he reached out to touch countless millions of people across the world, imbuing them with a profound sense of awareness and respect for the sea, peoples, history and ecology. In doing so he probably generated more good for the Earth than any number of faceless academics and myopic political leaders. Thor will be remembered by those who cherished his adventurous soul as a truly good man. Like many great explorers before him, he will wear the turning earth as his final epitaph while he makes his last great voyage of discovery towards eternal sleep.
Robert Parr MBE, New Zealand

My dad used to tell me the story of the Kon-Tiki when I was a little boy and that was the starting point of my interest in History. I'll sorely miss him
Jose Iujvidin, Argentina

May his adventure-seeking, peace-loving character be an inspiration to us all. Good luck on your new shores, Thor.
Hallvard, Norway

Recently I visited Tenerife, Canary Island where he left a good memory too. He found and created museum of ancient Step Pyramids. He left great heritage as for kids as for adults. His books always will be with us.
Vita Fedyanovich, Ukraine

Thor Heyerdahl was one of a kind. Fortunately he shared his adventures with us all. Thank you Thor.
Denny, Norway

One of the Greatest Explorers ever.
A hero to people everywhere, sadly gone, one of the few people for whom this final adventure may not be their biggest but may it be as good as all those he undertook in life. Long last his name last as an inspiration to us all.
Colin Young, Scotland

We followed his progress with great pride, and joy at his success.

Eric Sundt, USA

My Father, a Norwegian with US citizenship, was at the US embassy in Lima when Heyerdahl was constructing the Kon-Tiki, and was able to help him in many ways. Thor came to dinner several times, once or twice with the whole crew. We followed his progress with great pride, and joy at his success. He was a an intellectual with the Viking spirit! Eric Sundt,CA,USA
Eric Sundt, USA

I read "The Ra Expedition" when I was a teenager and have never forgotten it, 40 years later...Thor Heyerdahl's book was exciting for a girl who'd never been more than a couple of hundred miles away from home, and when I reread it every few years, I am once again swept away and totally impressed by the author's marvellous perceptions and wonderful adventures!
Georgia, United States

Thor Heyerdahl is somebody who made a difference in this world. Somebody who was not afraid to stand up for his own beliefs and point out some of the many problems we have in our world today. If more people would be adventurous as he was, and build rafts and sail around the world instead of running after money and material possessions, our world would be a happier place. Thor, I will miss your spirit and will have a drink in your honour in Rapa-Nui on Sunday. So rest well while you can, as the greatest adventure of them all is just beginning for you.
Tero Moliis, Finland / Chile

I read "The Kon-Tiki Expedition" as a child. Over the years, I've re-read it a number of times - it's one of those rare books where you keep getting something new every time. Thor Heyerdahl was a genius at thinking out-of-the-box, and brilliant at communicating it to his readers. I wish there were more like him.
Rajeev, India

My dream was to travel the world on the seas on a raft with a CAT - despite the fact that I suffer from motion sickness!

Leonie Engelbrecht, UK

The most poignant moments of my childhood was when I read this book after my sister, two years my senior, enthusiastically and dramatically played out the highlights and events. My dream was to travel the world on the seas on a raft with a CAT - despite the fact that I suffer from motion sickness!!!! Thor certainly lived!
Leonie Engelbrecht, UK/SA/Zim

20 years ago while visiting the national maritime museum in Oslo, I was looking at the small boat that he used to cross the Pacific ocean. A "guide" started to tell me about the boat and the ocean passage. Thor Heyerdahl was just visiting Oslo and turned out to be "The guide" I found out a great deal both about the boat, the ocean passage and the wonderful guide.
George Butterfield, USA

I was born in Lima shortly after Thor Heyerdahl set sail. My parents, who had moved to Peru from England that year went to see him set sail from Callao, Lima's port. They were terribly excited and full of admiration at his daring and awestruck at the sight of the rather primitive, ramshackle raft. His expedition was the source of many family discussions over the years as I grew up. I credit Thor Heyerdahl for helping to develop my sense of adventure.
Bill Channon, USA

Thor Heyerdahl's books enchanted me as a young teenager. They inspired in me an enduring fascination with the sea, and stimulated my interest in mankind's inter-relationship with his environment. He was unsentimental in his appreciation of this relationship, and imbued a practicality that is frequently absent from debate about the environment. Thor's contribution to the development of understanding of these relationships will endure irrespective of the accuracy or otherwise of his archaeological theories. Thank you, Thor.
Roger, Bahamas

The world has lost a dedicated and vigorous campaigner for world unity and peace

Sean, USA

I picked up Kon-Tiki on my mother's recommendation at the age of 12 and haven't been without it since. Heyerdahl inspired me to pursue anthropology in college, and though the finer points of his work have come under fire, I've never lost my sense of awe at what he dared to attempt. I think (hope) that history will remember him for the poignant statement he made with the burning of the reed ship Tigris, which I consider one of his finest moments. Anthropology has lost a charismatic and inspiring figure, and the world has lost one of the last true adventurers, and a dedicated and vigorous campaigner for world unity and peace
Sean, USA

He was not an eccentric or a pseudo-scientist - two labels so often hurled at him by his critics. Heyerdahl was a scholar devoted to the mystery and majesty of human potential.
Robert del Valle, USA

He was a great human being who refused to accept any limitation to what is possible. By doing so, he set our own visions and imaginations free.
Mariano Kälfors, UK

So much fuss was made about the Queen Mother recently, but what did she actually do for society? This is a man a truly revered, who used his time on earth to improve human relations, to expose pseudo-science as the xenophobia it truly was. There are few people that we can truly respect in this world for furthering our human quest, Thor was one of them.
Emily, U.K

In our English class in grade 7, I believe, we read about Thor Heyerdahl¿s journey from the Tigris to east Africa. Even though I am very young and I never met him personally, I liked the guy for his dedication and his spirit. I pray to God that his soul will rest in peace.
Abdulkarim , Baghdad/Iraq

May your next journey be all that you hoped it would be ...

Glenn Barker, Canada

Thank you Thor, for opening my eyes at an early age to the possibilities of adventure that still exist in our sometimes over-classified world, and for helping me understand that history is not always written in stone. May your next journey be all that you hoped it would be ...
Glenn Barker, Canada

I first read his books in the 70's and have marvelled at how he was able to prove his hypotheses by crossing oceans and seas. He was a great adventurer and often a pacifist with a global perspective. May he truly rest in peace.
Yang, China

I remember making a model of Kon Tiki as a child out of balsa wood. I even got a prize for it! Thor Heyerdahl made a very early impression on me as an explorer. I hope that his spirit lives on.
Andrew, Surrey, UK

Mr Heyerdahl has joined Mr. Cousteau and so many others as a world citizen. His challenges of "conventional wisdom" rank with Sir Isaac Newton
Tom Hastie, USA

Men like him are a catalyst for the future

David, Ontario, Canada

Thor's book was one of the very first real adventures I had ever read and it helped me to become so interested in the world around me. I remember the photos from his voyage and it frightened me as well, but made me respect him and think that men like him are a catalyst for the future - thanks Thor.
David, Ontario, Canada

Mr Heyerdahl was one of the first in a long line of anthropologists and archaeologists to correct historical misconceptions about ethnic groups. Since his experiment the social sciences have opened their doors to correcting other misconceptions concerning indigenous people. In short, I thank him for helping to open the doors to cultural understanding.
Maryam MirRiahi, USA

The greatest hero of them all. Thank you Thor Heyerdahl for all you have done!
Erik, Norway

We have lost a great inspiration and pioneer. May your longboat sail smoothly.
Hazel, UK

Thor Heyerdahl is the person who got me interested in balsa wood, with which I had hours of fun as a child. A legend who will be sadly missed.
Jon, UK

A free, fantastic spirit

Anne, Norway

He was the greatest hero of them all. He had a free, fantastic spirit all his life.
Anne, Norway

If it is possible to generalise about races, Heyerdahl was very much in the spirit of Amundsen, and a superb example of the Norwegian character. Today's so-called celebrity heroes pale into insignificance compared to a man of his stature.
Nick Goodall, UK

Strange, how only upon his death I, a very ordinary person, realise the influence he had on my life and now, surprisingly, feel such a great loss.
Linda Konkin, Canada

I happened to read the Kon-Tiki recently and it was one of the most open and moving accounts I have read about a sailing expedition. Thor really believed in his idea and carried it through. I hope it inspires others to do the same
Puja, USA

The world has not only lost an anthropologist but a great orator and visionary

Sajid Rahim, Canada

His works, theories and ability to put it into practice to show the world that this was possible against all odds made him a legend. His attitude towards the people of the world was one of humility and understanding. The world has not only lost an anthropologist but a great orator, visionary, and above all a person who cared for this world. He will always remain one of my heroes.
Sajid Rahim, Canada

I will always remember Thor Heyerdahl as the person who sparked my interest in marine archaeology. May his soul rest in peace.
Michael Chong, Malaysia

The world will miss adventurers of Heyerdahl's calibre. His books and achievements have influenced many people, myself included, encouraging us to try and find out more about this world we live in, and ultimately try and make it better. Thank you Mr Heyerdahl for all the work you did.
Erik, UK

Thank you Thor Heyerdahl for your vision, intelligence, and contributions to humanity. Hopefully we can carry on your good works in generations to come.
Anna Louise Fulks, USA

One of the best explorers in the world, always a hero for new and old fans.
Rolf, Norway

For me, as a young man, he has been, and always will be a personification of wisdom, courage and humanity. If everyone could be just half the great man he was, the world would be a much better place.
Sander van der Harst, Norway

An inspiring man whose commitment to his beliefs led him across dangerous waters

Misbah, UK

An inspiring man whose commitment to his beliefs led him across dangerous waters. Brave, intelligent and a good man - a lesson to ordinary humans and the world's leaders.
Misbah, UK

Thor Heyerdahl has always been an inspiration to me. By not specialising, he could always give us a broader picture. I will miss him and his work.
Neil Klotz, USA

We had the pleasure and privilege of knowing him personally, and he will never ever be forgotten.
Brigitte Gypen, Tenerife, Spain

Thor Heyerdahl was my inspiration and probably the reason why I did so well in University. God rest his soul.
Samantha Rolfe, Shenfield, Essex

His tough hands-on approach to his work was refreshing and exciting

Chris B, England

Heyerdahl's tough hands-on approach to his work was a refreshing and exciting advance in modern anthropology. Many of my generation were inspired by the courageous adventures of this man, who was always prepared to lead from the front and risk his life and reputation to test his theories. Thor Heyerdahl was a fine example of those human qualities and values that are increasingly rare in our modern world.
Chris B, England

If only humanity would embark more often on trips of his magnitude instead of wasting precious time and resources on futile things such as war. Mr Heyerdahl was one of a small circle of men who was able to overcome these petty thoughts and who brought us a little closer to who we really are; human beings on the same small planet, afloat on the great ocean of space.
Tim, UK

A man who had the ability to live his life as he wished. His books were always an inspiration to me as a youngster.
PatrickB, UK

He has just set sail on life's greatest adventure - goodbye Thor and I hope you encounter fair winds on your travels.
David LJ, Isle of Man, UK

He will always be a hero in my heart.
Leif Erik Thomassen, Norway

As a young man I read his books. I now realise that they formed an important part in my own views on conservation. The world needs more men like Thor Heyerdahl.
Peter, England