1. Otzi The Iceman
Death or murder?

2. By the end of class: Able to answer
What does Otzi’s remains tell us about daily life in the Mesolithic Era?
What is Otzi’s significance to understanding history?
Was Otzi murdered or did he die naturally?
How are his artifacts a lens into his personal life?

3. Vocab
Archaeology
Definition: The scientific study of material remains such as fossils, bones, or relics that reveal information about the human activity of cultures that flourished long ago
Context: By studying physical characteristics of a mummy, such as bones and teeth, archaeologists can determine the person's age and gender.
Artifact
Definition: An object produced or shaped by human craft, especially a tool, weapon, or ornament of archaeological or historical interest
Context: Artifacts found with mummies often reveal important cultural clues.
Mummify
Definition: To make into a mummy by embalming and drying; to cause to shrivel and dry up
Context: Bodies may become naturally mummified in frozen, dry climates.
Mummy
Definition: A body that has been preserved by natural or artificial means
Context: The Iceman is a well-known mummy discovered frozen in the Alps.

4. Who is Otzi? Found in 1991 by hikers Italian Alps
Initially believed to be a stranded hiker, but items around him changed that theory
The ice and cold temperatures kept in in a mummified state
We believe he was murdered based on specific evidence, but first we must understand other evidence……

5. Artifact analysis
As we go through some artifact found about Otzi, take notes and keep specific data at hand
Ultimately we will use the data to discover his cause of death
BE SPECIFIC AND SO WHAT?

6. 1) Location and Body position

7. 1) Location and Body position
The body was found at 11,000 ft in elevation
Found in the Otzal Alps (Italy/Austria) face- down

8. 1) Location and Body position

9. 2) Diet
Figure 1: these muscles fibers found in Iceman’s belly are either from deer meat or Chamois meat.  
Based on the fiber composition, this meat was part of a last meal Otzi had, approximately 8 hours before he died.

10. 2) Diet
Figure 2 & 3 demonstrate the breakdown of the grains and fruits in his belly at the time of death: they include herbs, einkorn wheat bran,  

11. 2) Diet
Laying around Otzi (archeologist believed he was carrying) grains of einkorn, barley, flax, poppy and sloes (plum-like fruit), and varies berry seeds.

12. 2) Diet
The pollen on his body was preserved, and the pollen puts his time of death sometime in the spring
Wheat spiklets from Einkorn grain, stuck to the Iceman's clothing.
The same material was found in the Iceman’s intestine indicating that he had eaten a hard bread shortly before his death. The plant material came from an agricultural area.
Wheat spiklets
Hornbeam tree pollen

13. 2) Diet
DNA analysis in 2009 shows that Otzi ate Ibex two hours before his death
So let’s stop and think: Was Otzi a hunter/gatherer or a farmer?

14. 3) Health
Otzi’s intestinal investigation also showed that he had whipworm - an intestinal parasite)
CT scans (like x-ray scans) show Otzi had 3 broken ribs
Mostly likely from the crushing snow

15. 3) Health
One of his fingernails had Beau Lines, which indicate sickness. He was sick about 2 months before his death.
Otzi’s breakdown of Tibia and Fibula bones (including his pelvis) indicate long walking trips across mountainous terrain
Otzi’s grain heavy diet helped create the cavities found
DNA analysis also shows
Otzi was lactose intolerant
(can’t have milk)
Think: What Otzi a health man?

16. 4) Skeleton and Tattoos Otzi had a fracture on the skull
Evidence of brain hemorrhaging due to the fracture

17. 4) Skeleton and Tattoos Otzi’s arm was crossed over his body
Indicates he was turned over after his death
Arrowhead was lodged in his shoulder
Would have died of blood loss
Evidence it was pulled out

18. 4) Skeleton and Tattoos Otzi had a cut in the palm of his right hand
Damaged tendons
Possibly holding a blade

19. 4) Skeleton and Tattoos
Otzi had 61 tattoos made of fire soot then scratched under the skin.
Most of Ötzi’s tattoos are located on parts of his body that must have caused him pain during his lifetime due to degeneration or disease.
Question over the tattoos being a form of acupuncture

20. 5) Clothing and shoes Sophisticated Cloak of woven grass A belt
Leggings
Loincloth of leather from different skins
Bearskin cap with a leather chin strap

21. 5) Clothing and shoes Rare at the time, Otzi was also wearing shoes
Made of:
bearskin soles,
deer hide panels,
netting made of tree bark.
Soft grass around the foot
Expected to have been made by someone who made specifically shoes

22. 6) Tools and Equipment Had an axe made of wood and copper
High-skilled craftsmanship
Probably had high importance in society

23. 6) Tools and Equipment
Flint stone knife

24. Reflection Was Otzi an important man in his society? How do we know?
How might we guess that Otzi was going on a long trip?
Could Otzi have been predicting a fight? What artifacts tell us if he was?
Was Otzi murdered? Why or why not?