Theories of Context and Death of Ice Man
A chance finding on Thursday the 19th of September 1991 discovered a glacier body known as “Ice Man” or “Ötzi”. Erika and Helmut Simon found him when they were on a mountaineering trip in the Otzal Alps between Austria and Italy. There are many theories surrounding his life and death.
Initially he was taken for examination to a forensic medical unit in Innsbruck. Professor Konrad Spindler was called in after it was determined his body was at least several hundred years old. Now Ice Man’s body is thought to be approx. 5,000 years old. He was found with clothing and tools which included leggings, loincloth, belt, shoes, fur cap, cloak, bow/stave, axe, back pannier, two birch-bark containers, quiver and arrows, net, dagger with scabbard, retoucheur and belt pouch.
In 1994, Spindler concluded that Ice Man was a shepherd who probably came from a Neolithic settlement in Val Venstosta, an alpine valley in Northern Italy. His theory was based on Ice Man’s age, strong physique, equipment, clothing and place of death (a route herders would use to cross the alps). Spindler also thought he may have been overcome by a storm to cause his death. Then, after x-rays and CT scans revealed he had several broken ribs and the position of his body (least painful for those injuries), Spindler suggested a violent conflict had taken place. These were the first theories of Ice Man’s life and death.
National Geographic Magazine published an article about Ice Man in July. “Scientists have poked, prodded, and x-rayed the 5,000-year-old mummy found in the Alps. They now think he was murdered.” “Scientists have used more sophisticated tools and intellectual cunning over time to reconstruct the life and times of the Iceman (or "Ötzi"), the oldest intact member of the human family. We know that he was a small, sinewy, and, for his times, rather elderly man in his mid-40s. Judging from the precious, copper-bladed axe found with him, we suspect that he was a person of considerable social
Initially he was taken for examination to a forensic medical unit in Innsbruck. Professor Konrad Spindler was called in after it was determined his body was at least several hundred years old. Now Ice Man’s body is thought to be approx. 5,000 years old. He was found with clothing and tools which included leggings, loincloth, belt, shoes, fur cap, cloak, bow/stave, axe, back pannier, two birch-bark containers, quiver and arrows, net, dagger with scabbard, retoucheur and belt pouch.
In 1994, Spindler concluded that Ice Man was a shepherd who probably came from a Neolithic settlement in Val Venstosta, an alpine valley in Northern Italy. His theory was based on Ice Man’s age, strong physique, equipment, clothing and place of death (a route herders would use to cross the alps). Spindler also thought he may have been overcome by a storm to cause his death. Then, after x-rays and CT scans revealed he had several broken ribs and the position of his body (least painful for those injuries), Spindler suggested a violent conflict had taken place. These were the first theories of Ice Man’s life and death.
National Geographic Magazine published an article about Ice Man in July. “Scientists have poked, prodded, and x-rayed the 5,000-year-old mummy found in the Alps. They now think he was murdered.” “Scientists have used more sophisticated tools and intellectual cunning over time to reconstruct the life and times of the Iceman (or "Ötzi"), the oldest intact member of the human family. We know that he was a small, sinewy, and, for his times, rather elderly man in his mid-40s. Judging from the precious, copper-bladed axe found with him, we suspect that he was a person of considerable social
Bibliography: Toni Hurley, Philippa Medcalf, Christine Murray, Jan Rolph, 2008, Antiquity 1 textbook, pg. 137 – 142 Oldest blood found in Ötzi 's wounds. By: Coghlan, Andy, New Scientist, 02624079, 5/5/2012, Vol. 214, Issue 2863 http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/features/who-killed-iceman/, article on Ice Man http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2007/07/iceman/hall-text, Article on Ice Man