Ötzi, also known as “the Iceman”, is a naturally mummified man who survived for 5,300 years in the ice of the Alps. He was discovered in 1991 by two hikers in the Ötztal Alps on the border between Austria and Italy. At first he was thought to be a modern mountaineer who had died in an accident, but radiocarbon dating showed that he had lived around 3300–3100 BCE. This made him one of the best-preserved and oldest natural mummies ever found in Europe.
The place where his body was found was a shallow rocky hollow, sealed for millennia by snow and ice. This cold, stable environment protected not only his body, but also his clothing, tools and even the remains of his last meal. Thanks to Ötzi, we have a detailed view of what life was like for a man living in the Copper Age in the European mountains.
His clothing was carefully designed for a cold and harsh climate. He wore a fur coat made from different animal hides, leggings similar to trousers, a belt with a small pouch, shoes stuffed with grass and covered with leather, and a fur cap. Analysis of the hides showed that goat, sheep, deer and bear were used. This indicates that animal husbandry and leatherworking were already well developed in his community.
More than 60 tattoos were found on Ötzi’s body. These are not decorative motifs, but short lines and small groups of marks. Most of them are located around the lower back, knees, ankles and along the spine. Medical scans revealed joint and spine problems exactly in these regions. For this reason, many researchers think that the tattoos were part of a healing practice, similar to very early acupuncture, rather than decoration.
Health-wise, Ötzi was far from perfect. He had parasites in his intestines, heavy tooth wear and cavities, early signs of atherosclerosis in his arteries and damaged lungs from smoke inhalation, probably from indoor fires. Despite all this, he was fit enough to travel through steep mountain terrain and to hunt or move between valleys.
The items found with him form a complete survival kit for a mountain journey. The most striking object is a copper axe with a yew-wood handle, a precious and high-status tool for his time. He also carried a flint knife, unfinished arrows and antler pieces for making arrowheads, a long bow, a fire-starting kit and two kinds of fungus. One fungus seems to have been used to help start fires, while the other had medicinal properties and may have been used against parasites.
The cause of his death remained a mystery for years. At first it was assumed that he died in a snowstorm and froze to death. Later X-rays and CT scans revealed a flint arrowhead lodged in his left shoulder. The arrow had severed a major artery near the collarbone, which would have led to death within minutes. There are also signs of a head injury and cuts on his hands and arms that may have been received in close combat. Blood traces from several other people were identified on his equipment. The most widely accepted theory today is that Ötzi died in a violent conflict after being shot from behind.
Ötzi is important not only as a spectacular mummy, but also as a complete snapshot of Copper Age life. His body and equipment reveal how people dressed, what they ate, what health problems they faced, what kind of tools they used and how far trade networks reached. Chemical analysis of the copper in his axe shows that the metal came from regions further south in Italy, suggesting long-distance exchange and contact.
Today, Ötzi’s mummy and his belongings are kept in a special cold cell at the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology in Bolzano, Italy. Visitors can view him through a glass window, almost as if he had just fallen asleep in the ice thousands of years ago. In this way, Ötzi continues to act as one of the most remarkable time capsules in human history.