Ötzi (the Iceman)

Ötzi is the name given to the over 5,300-year-old mummified remains of a man found frozen inside a mountain glacier on the Italian-Austrian border. Ötzi, also nicknamed the Iceman, has been studied extensively since hikers discovered him in 1991. His body is in such a remarkable state of preservation that researchers have been able to learn many key details about his life, such as his possible social standing and general physical health. Using modern forensic techniques, they have also been able to shed light on his final days, from determining the food he ate for his last meal to the cause of his sudden death. Ötzi's remains, along with his clothing and tools, are on display at the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology in Bolzano, Italy.

Background

In 1991, German tourists Erika and Helmut Simon came across a frozen corpse while hiking the Schnalstal/Val Senales Glacier in the Ötztal Valley region of the Alps on the border of Italy and Austria. The Ötztal region is a popular tourist destination in the Central Alps, with several elevations topping out at more than 10,000 feet (3,050 meters). While the highest elevations can see significant snowfall, lower areas have relatively little precipitation; however, they are prone to daily temperature swings of more than 120 degrees Fahrenheit (49 degrees Celsius).

When the Simons reported their find, authorities at first thought they had discovered the body of a modern-day climber. Upon removal and examination of the remains, it soon became apparent they were ancient in origin. Scientists determined the body was more than five thousand years old, placing the man's death at about 3300 BCE during the Neolithic period. Neolithic humans had shifted from hunter-gatherer societies to a more agricultural-based existence. They had begun to move away from stone technology and started designing tools from primitive forms of metal. Around 3300 BCE, when the Iceman perished, Europe was in a period sometimes called the Copper Age, a transitional era between the Stone Age and Bronze Age when copper was becoming a primary material for tools.

Overview

The mummified remains were given the name Ötzi by an Austrian journalist in honor of the Ötztal region where they were found. At the time of his death, Ötzi was estimated to be about 45 years old. He was 5 foot 5 inches tall, weighed 140 pounds, had brown eyes, and brown hair. He was covered with more than sixty tattoos, which were inked using charcoal. Ötzi was recovered along with his clothing—a hide coat made from several types of animals, a bearskin hat, goatskin leggings, and shoes stuffed with hay. He carried a small flint dagger, a copper axe, a six-foot bow that was unfinished, and twelve arrows with only two arrowheads.

Ötzi's body was very lean, suggesting he did a lot of walking during his life but little heavy lifting. While all his teeth were intact, they showed signs of gum disease and tooth decay. He suffered from worn joints, hardened arteries, gallstones, Lyme disease, and was infested with parasitic worms. Scientists also found a form of bacteria in his stomach hinting that he likely had ulcers. His hands do not show signs of wear from hard labor, and his copper axe suggested he held a position of status in his community. He was almost certainly a hunter and may also have been a farmer, herder, or trapper. The cold temperatures at the 10,500-foot (3,200-meter) elevation at which he died froze his body in place while high humidity in the ice preserved his internal organs and his skin. As a result, Ötzi is the best-preserved mummy ever recovered.

For a decade after his discovery, the cause of Ötzi's death remained a mystery to scientists. His body initially showed no signs of external injury, leading some to speculate that he had simply frozen to death. In 2001, X-rays revealed a flint arrowhead lodged in his back near his shoulder. Researchers at first questioned whether the wound was enough to prove fatal, offering theories that he may have bled to death or fallen victim to a blow to the head. In 2014, officials at the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology commissioned Chief Inspector Alexander Horn from the Munich Police in Germany to examine the body in an attempt to find a cause of death.

Horn's investigation revealed that Ötzi was likely stalked and murdered by an assailant with a motive other than robbery. By analyzing the pollen content of the mummy's stomach, Horn was able to deduce that Ötzi was killed in either late spring or early summer. In the final two days of his life, Ötzi traveled from the mountains to the valley floor and back to a higher elevation. His right hand was cut by a deep gash, the placement of which pointed to a defensive wound received in a violent struggle. The wound was in the process of healing, suggesting the fight occurred days before his death.

About a half hour before Ötzi died, he sat down to eat a large meal. In 2018, further study of the mummy's stomach confirmed, through molecular data and ancient DNA, that he consumed mountain goat, einkorn wheat, red deer, and other grains, a meal high in fat that scientists attributed to a possible combination of Ötzi's culture and preparation for surviving the mountain conditions. The unhurried nature of his actions led Horn to believe Ötzi was unaware that he was in danger. The Iceman was shot in the back from a distance of about one hundred yards; the arrow penetrated his back and severed an artery, resulting in a fatal wound that may have been untreatable even with modern medicine. The angle and distance at which the arrow was fired points to a deliberate attempt to kill, according to Horn. The fact that Ötzi's valuable copper ax was left at the scene also seemed to rule out attempted robbery.

Genetic research indicates Ötzi has at least nineteen living relatives in Austria's Tyrol region, descended from his father's side of the family. His mummy has been housed at the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology in northern Italy since 1998. His clothes, tools, and other artifacts have been restored and placed on display. Ötzi himself can also be viewed by the public. His body is kept in a specially designed cold chamber, and it can be observed through a small window.

Bibliography

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Fowler, Chris, et al., editors. The Oxford Handbook of Neolithic Europe. Oxford UP, 2015.

"The Iceman." South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology, www.iceman.it/en/the-iceman/. Accessed 13 June 2017.

Lanser, Amanda. Ötzi the Iceman. Abdo Publishing, 2015.

Nordland, Rod. "Who Killed the Iceman? Clues Emerge in a Very Cold Case." The New York Times, 26 Mar. 2017, www.nytimes.com/2017/03/26/world/europe/bolzano-italy-iceman-south-tyrol-museum-of-archaeology.html. Accessed 13 June 2017.

Owen, James. "5 Surprising Facts about Otzi the Iceman." National Geographic, 18 Oct. 2013, news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/10/131016-otzi-ice-man-mummy-five-facts/. Accessed 12 June 2017.

Pruitt, Sarah. "The Iceman's Stomach Bug Helps Scientists Map Ancient Human Migration." History.com, 11 Jan. 2016, www.history.com/news/the-icemans-stomach-bug-helps-scientists-map-ancient-human-migration. Accessed 13 June 2017.

Romey, Kristin. "Here's What the Iceman Was Wearing When He Died 5,300 Years Ago." National Geographic, 18 Aug. 2016, news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/08/otzi-iceman-european-alps-mummy-clothing-dna-leather-fur-archaeology/. Accessed 12 June 2017.

Thompson, Helen. "Ötzi Loaded Up on Fatty Food before He Died." Science News, 12 July 2018, www.sciencenews.org/article/otzi-mummy-ate-high-fat-meal-before-death?tgt=nr. Accessed 2 Aug. 2018.