What makes Ötzi so special? Archaeological finds from the Stone Age are extremely rare, making it difficult to gain detailed insights into this period of human history. Ötzi’s remarkable state of preservation changed that fundamentally. Scientists were able to date his death to around 3200 BC. At the time of his death, he was probably in his mid-forties. Today, the mummy measures 1.58 metres in height. Since the body shrank during the freezing process, he must have been of impressive stature during his lifetime. Researchers have decoded his DNA, examined his diet (his last meal consisted of red deer, ibex, cereals, and bracken fern), determined his geographical origins through the analysis of his tooth enamel, studied and reconstructed his clothing, tested his weapons, and speculated about his apparently high social status. One reason for this assumption is the copper axe he carried—a possession of extraordinary value for that period. Ötzi bore more than fifty tattoos. Groups of charcoal lines adorn his body and are believed to have served a therapeutic or medicinal purpose. Not without reason, as his medical record was extensive: he suffered from broken ribs, blackened lungs (probably caused by smoke from campfires), arthritis, hardened arteries, and stomach ulcers. As if Ötzi were not mysterious enough already, X-ray examinations revealed another sensational discovery: an arrowhead lodged in his shoulder, which probably severed a major artery. Ötzi was the victim of a murder. Researchers believe that this fatal attack may have been preceded by another violent encounter several days earlier. Ötzi had a deep cut on his right hand, most likely sustained while defending himself.
Anyone wishing to learn more about the glacier mummy should visit the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology in Bolzano, where Ötzi and all of his possessions are displayed and presented using modern exhibition techniques. In Unser Frau in the Schnalstal Valley, the ArcheoParc open-air museum recreates the world in which Ötzi lived and offers fascinating insights into everyday life during the Copper Age.
The discovery site of the glacier mummy can also be reached on foot. However, this is a demanding high-alpine hike and should only be undertaken by experienced hikers with good physical fitness and mountain experience.