Witness History Ötzi: The Iceman of Bolzano
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Jan 30, 2026 Two hikers uncover a perfectly preserved 5,000-year-old mummy high in the Alps. Archaeologists and forensic experts examine its clothes, tools and a copper axe. Researchers debate why the person was traveling and plan complex preservation and scientific analyses. Later investigations reveal a violent cause of death and promise decades of ongoing study.
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Unusual Mummification Sparks Discovery
- Dr Rainer Henn first noticed the corpse because it was mummified rather than adipocere-affected.
- He found a wooden and stone knife that immediately suggested great antiquity.
Rich Grave Goods Accompany The Body
- Excavators found a copper axe, arrowheads, clothes and a marble bead around the corpse.
- The assemblage accompanied the body to Innsbruck for further analysis and publicity.
Transitional Era Revealed By Tools
- Conrad Spindler identified the find as from the Stone-to-Bronze transition due to mixed stone and metal tools.
- The combination of artifacts made the glacier mummy uniquely valuable for studying that era.
