More than 30 years after the discovery, Ötzi’s story needs to be rewritten. It was originally believed that the 5,300-year-old body was permanently buried under ice immediately after death in the fall. In contrast, in a paper published in the journal The Holocene, a team of archaeologists and glaciologists believe the man died in the spring or summer and was subsequently repeatedly discovered through melting processes.
After a German couple discovered a corpse in a trench 3,210 meters above sea level in the Tisenjoch area (Ötztaler Alpen) on September 19, 1991, it quickly became apparent that this was a sensational find: a 5,300-year-old ice mummy whose safekeeping was due. to very special find conditions.
Fled to the pass and froze to death in the gutter
At the time, Austrian archaeologist Konrad Spindler assumed, based on the find situation, that Ötzi fled to the pass in the fall with battle-damaged equipment and then froze to death in the snow-free trench where his remains were found. The body and associated finds were then quickly covered in ice and rested – protected in the channel – as if in a time capsule under a moving glacier until they melted again.
A team of archaeologists and glaciologists from Norway, Switzerland and Austria — including Andrea Fischer of the Institute for Interdisciplinary Mountain Research of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW) — now say in their work that the original explanation of how Ötzi was preserved does not match the current one. corresponds to the current state of research. In doing so, they rely on findings gained over the past few decades from researching other glacial archaeological sites, as well as previous palaeobiological research of the group of finds.
Should have died in the summer or spring
According to the researchers, Ötzi died in early spring or summer. “His body probably rested in or on the snow of spring or early summer,” the scientists write in the article. After some time, the snow and ice melted and the body and most of his belongings slid into the trench below, where it was finally discovered.
The displacement and damage to the corpse and its equipment may have occurred during a single major meltdown or multiple smaller meltdowns. In any case, the body and equipment had been in the water one or more times. “Eventually, snow and ice filled the channel and Ötzi was covered by a field of immobile ‘cold ice,'” the scientists write. The “Iceman” was not, as previously believed, immediately and permanently covered in ice. This also contradicts a supposed sudden cooling of the climate around the time of Ötzi’s death, which was used as evidence for the preservation of the “Iceman”. The scientists emphasize that there is no evidence for this.
Ötzi and his gear lay free in hot summers
About 1,500 years after his death, Ötzi and his equipment were sometimes exposed in hot summers. This led to decay of the most exposed parts of the body and further damage to equipment. At the same time, newer material entered the channel, which was deposited in a “dirty ice pack” at the bottom. But that doesn’t mean the body was completely out the whole time. “It can certainly be in the snow, which is permeable to air, water, pollen, etc. The snow-free period at this altitude usually lasts only a few days a year. The mass balances of Hintereis and Kesselwandferner show that the change to longer snow-free periods at the site level has only recently occurred in the course of climate change,” Fischer explained to the APA.
The damage to Ötzi’s equipment is also said to be comparable to other post-glacial archaeological sites. They are likely due to natural processes at the site and not conflict or struggle as originally suggested. In addition, the history of the ice at the site shows that, contrary to previous assumptions, it is unlikely that a glacier moved there after Ötzi’s death. “We have analyzed the very accurate elevation models of the subsurface that are now available along with historical maps and now know a lot more about the structure of the ice age,” Fischer says.
Ice will melt in the next 10 to 20 years
“We now better understand how high-altitude ice fields affect archaeological sites and finds,” emphasized the glaciologist. Because, contrary to initial assumptions, a sudden cooling of the climate is not necessary for the preservation of ice mummies, the scientists better estimate the likelihood of more such finds.
“We now know many places with old ice and can therefore better monitor potential locations,” says Fischer. This ancient ice will melt in the next ten to 20 years – “everything hidden there will come out, you just have to find it in time”.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
