Harvard Anthropology Graduate Student Mack FitzPatrick named one of eight 2025 Harvard Horizons Scholars

The Department of Anthropology at Harvard University is pleased to share that Graduate Student Mack FitzPatrick ('26) has been named a 2025 Harvard Horizons Scholar. Each year, Harvard Horizons Faculty Fellows choose a select few representatives of the extraordinary researchers who make up Harvard’s PhD community. This year, eight students form the twelfth class of the Society of Horizons Scholars. These scholars will receive in-depth mentoring on the art of effective presentation, preparing them for a campus-wide symposium in Sanders Theatre on April 8, 2025. Mack FitzPatrick's upcoming talk is titled "Decoding the Inka Khipus of Laguna de los Cóndores, Peru." 

Mack's research centers on a set of Inka khipus from the cliffside tombs of Laguna de los Cóndores in Peru, a rare collection found with textiles, ceramics, wooden objects, and over 200 mummy bundles. These khipus are exceptional for their size, complexity, and documented archaeological context. Mack’s dissertation examines these khipus as a cohesive archive, using innovative methods to analyze cord construction, materials, and structures. His work aims to uncover how khipu data was encoded, understand local manifestations of Inka imperial control, and explore gender roles in Andean craft production.

Congratulations to all eight students who received this notable award.