Hiram Bingham III was an American explorer, academic, and politician who is best known for his discovery of the Inca ruins of Machu Picchu in Peru. He was born in Honolulu, Hawaii on November 19, 1875, to a prominent New England family. His father, Hiram Bingham II, was a Protestant missionary and his mother, Clara Brewster, was a descendant of the Puritan leader, William Brewster.
Bingham attended Yale University, where he studied history and anthropology. After graduating in 1898, he joined the faculty of Harvard University as a lecturer in South American history. He also served as a professor of Latin American history at Yale from 1905 to 1909.
In 1911, Bingham was invited by the Peruvian government to lead an expedition to explore the Inca ruins of Machu Picchu. He was accompanied by a team of scientists, photographers, and local guides. After a difficult journey, they arrived at the ruins in July 1911. Bingham was the first to document the site and its artifacts, which included terraces, temples, and a complex irrigation system.
Bingham's discovery of Machu Picchu was a major archaeological breakthrough. It was the first time that a major Inca site had been discovered and documented. The ruins were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 and are now one of the most popular tourist destinations in Peru.
Bingham's work in Peru also included the excavation of the Inca site of Vilcabamba in 1912. He also conducted archaeological surveys in the Andes and wrote several books about his discoveries.
Bingham's work in Peru was not limited to archaeology. He also served as a diplomat and was appointed as the United States Ambassador to Peru in 1916. He was later elected to the United States Senate in 1924, where he served until 1933.
Bingham died in 1956 at the age of 81. He is remembered as one of the most important figures in the history of archaeology and exploration. His discoveries of Machu Picchu and Vilcabamba have helped to shed light on the Inca civilization and its culture. His legacy lives on in the many books and articles he wrote about his discoveries and in the many archaeological sites he explored.