Otzi Iceman

In early 1991 September 19 two hikers from Germany found something strange in Italian Alps while they were having a break-they saw a human corpse. Later scholars researched it and found that it was a skull of an ancient human and they named it “Otzi Iceman”. The Iceman’s meals have served up a feast of information to scholars. His stomach contained 30 different types of pollen. Analysis of that pollen shows that Ötzi died in spring or early summer, and it has even enabled researchers to trace his movements through different mountain elevations just before he died. His partially digested last meal suggests he ate two hours before his grisly end. In this essay I will write detailed information about the iceman, how it is discovered as well as some historic facts. Ötzi is the oldest human mummy ever found preserved by freezing. The Iceman’s possessions and clothing have given scientists a better look at what life was during the Neolithic Age in Europe. He has become part of our popular culture. He is the subject of many books and even a play.

At first, scientists believed that Ötzi was caught in a heavy snowfall, fell asleep, and froze to death. They concluded this because there were no signs of predator attacks (and because they did not find conclusive evidence of other wounds). They believed that the body must have been covered with snow almost immediately or else the body would have been preyed upon. In a sunny day two hikers, Erika and Helmut Simon, from Nuremberg in Germany, were walking in the Ötztal Alps. Descending from the Finail peak in the Tisenjoch area, the Simons decided to take a shortcut and left the marked footpath. As they walked past a rocky gully filled with meltwater, they noticed something brown on the gully bed. At first they thought it must be some sort of rubbish, but on closer inspection they realized with horror that they had discovered a human corpse. There are many predictions about iceman death but the most believable is early x-rays (done in Innsbruck) appeared to show broken ribs on his right side. In this paragraph I will write about why the otzi iceman is so famous, what secret does it have behind. The Iceman is one of the oldest mummies in the world.

However, it is not only his historical age that makes him particularly valuable for scientists but also the way in which he was mummified. Ötzi is a so-called “wet mummy”, i.e. one in which humidity is retained in individual cells. The body tissue is elastic and suitable for performing detailed scientific investigations. Moreover, he is a natural mummy, unaltered by burial rites or other interventions. The Iceman with his complete clothing and equipment provides a snapshot of Stone Age life in Europe. Because of all the qualities that Otzi has, professionals like scientists, archaeologists, and historians were given the chance to study and learn more about the life and death of a pre-historic man. Scholars and researchers found it as 5000 years old.

Otzi became the favorite subject of various forms of popular cultures which mostly seen in documentaries, articles and books. The Bolzano Museum even sells a variety of Otzi merchandises like Iceman key chain, backpack, mouse pad, cigarette lighter and even a rare Otzi drink. In conclusion, person can never imagine himself as finding a rare shellheap. Otzi is still being researched through many years. It gives us a chance to investigate more about the man who lived in ancient time. Many handbooks and equipments have been sold since otzi was found.