Francis Mazière

Francis Mazière (24 May 1924 – 18 September 1994) In 1951, he led an expedition into Guyana in Indian territory, crossing the Tumuc-Humac Mountains and discovering unexplored lands in Brazil. In the field, he attempted to unravel the mystery of the moai statues, those mysterious statues erected on Easter Island. He recounted this experience in the best-selling book Fantastique île de Pâques, which sold nearly a million copies and was translated into many languages. He successively explored the cultures of the Sinai, Guyana, Argentina, and the South Pacific. He also contributed to the study of the sounds and dances of Tahiti.

Author and publisher In addition to his archaeological activities, he authored books for young audiences, often featuring black and white photographs. One of the most famous, Parana, le petit Indien (illustrated by Dominique Darbois), tells the story of the daily life of an Amazonian child and was published by Nathan in 1953. He was also the long-time director of the Énigmes de l'univers collection and later Portes de l'étrange at Robert Laffont, a period during which the author's and the public's interest in science fiction literature intensified. (Louis Delluc Prize).

Personal life He had a wife, Tila Mazière, an archaeologist who assisted him and often accompanied him on his explorations.

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