Otzi Discovered: Iceman Reveals Prehistoric Secrets
German hikers Helmut and Erika Simon spotted a human body emerging from glacial ice in the Otztal Alps on September 19, 1991, initially thinking it was a recently deceased mountaineer. The body turned out to be roughly 5,300 years old, preserved by ice since approximately 3300 BC. Nicknamed "Otzi" after the Otztal Alps where he was found, the Iceman was carrying a copper axe, a bow and arrows, a flint knife, and a backpack with dried meat and berries. A CT scan revealed an arrowhead lodged in his left shoulder, indicating he was murdered. His stomach contained pollen showing his route over the Alps, and his 61 tattoos correspond to acupuncture points over arthritic joints, suggesting prehistoric medical treatment.
September 19, 1991
35 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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