Ötzi the Iceman: discovery reveals life 5,300 years ago
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On September 19, 1991, hikers in the Italian Alps, near the Austrian border, discovered the remarkably preserved body of a man who lived over 5,300 years ago.
The body, nicknamed Ötzi the Iceman, emerged from melting glacial ice and provided insights into a period before writing and established kingdoms.
Investigators determined Ötzi died from a fleche wound to the back and also suffered a deep cut on his right hand and a head injury, suggesting he may have been fleeing an attack. Ötzi stood approximately 1.50 meters tall and was around 45 years old when he died. Scientific examinations revealed he had arthritis, arteriosclerosis, and gallstones, as well as evidence of a parasite linked to Lyme disease.
Researchers also found tools with his remains including leather fragments, a grass coat, a wooden backpack, a bow with arrows, and a copper axe. The Iceman’s body bore tattoos created by small cuts filled with charcoal, many near areas of injury or pain. Analysis of his stomach contents showed he ate wheat, fat, and ibex meat, a wild goat, around two hours before his death.
DNA analysis connected Ötzi’s closest living relatives to people in Sardinia, and his clothing suggested he may have been a shepherd. Today, Ötzi’s body resides in the Archaeology Museum of Bolzano, Italy.
