On April 28, 1947, Norwegian explorer and ethnographer Thor Heyerdahl set sail from Callao, Peru, on a balsa wood raft named Kon-Tiki. His goal was to prove that ancient people from South America could have settled in Polynesia by drifting on ocean currents.

Heyerdahl and his five-man crew embarked on a daring journey across the Pacific Ocean, covering approximately 4,300 miles (6,900 kilometers) in 101 days. The Kon-Tiki raft was constructed using materials and techniques that would have been available to the indigenous peoples of South America in pre-Columbian times, such as balsa wood logs, bamboo, and hemp ropes.

During the voyage, the crew faced numerous challenges, including storms, shark encounters, and dwindling food supplies. However, they managed to catch fish and collect rainwater to sustain themselves. Heyerdahl and his team documented their experiences through photographs, film, and a daily log.

On August 7, 1947, the Kon-Tiki raft reached the Tuamotu Islands in French Polynesia, successfully demonstrating that ancient people could have navigated and drifted across the Pacific Ocean using simple, indigenous technology. This achievement challenged the prevailing theories about the origins of Polynesian settlement and sparked further interest in the field of experimental archaeology.

Heyerdahl's journey became a global sensation, and he documented the expedition in his book "The Kon-Tiki Expedition: By Raft Across the South Seas," published in 1948. The book was later adapted into a documentary film, which won an Academy Award in 1951.

The Kon-Tiki expedition remains a significant event in the history of anthropology and maritime exploration, as it showcased the ingenuity and resilience of ancient peoples and the potential for long-distance ocean travel using traditional methods.