We begin our journey in the Andes mountain range at the base of Mount Ampato with anthropologist Johan Reinhard and Miguel Zarate, his climbing partner…

Johan with the Ice Maiden. Photo: Johan Reinhard

What is an anthropologist? An anthropologist is a person who studies the customs and cultures of people.

Consider these questions as you read about their expedition:

Why is the Ice Maiden worth saving?

Why would looters be interested in the Ice Maiden?

Do you think Johan Reinhard's decision to remove the Ice Maiden from Mount Ampato was the right one?

If you were a scientist studying the Ice Maiden, what questions would you have? How would you go about finding answers to these questions?

Why is everything so well preserved on top of Mount Ampato?

The Ice Maiden was 14 years old-close to your age. How was her life similar to or different from yours? Can you make a list of these similarities and differences in your journal?

Is there any evidence for how the Ice Maiden depended on the mountain to live? If so, what is it?

The Ice Maiden. Photo: Johan Reinhard

How did her people, as a culture, interact with the mountain? Can you think of any other mountains that have special meaning to people?

Do you think life in the Andes is the same today as it was 500 years ago when the Ice Maiden was sacrificed? If not, how do you think it has changed?