A plaited cape made of Alpine swamp grass which the Iceman may have worn as a cape or over his heard to keep out rain. It was secured by string.
Leggings made of many pieces of domestic goat hide cross-stitched together that covered his legs from ankle to thigh. Deerskin and leather laces held them in place.
Shoes consisting of two parts, the outer part made of deerskin, with the fur outside, the inner part of tree bast netting that held hay insulation in place. Both are attached to an oval leather sole by straps. The upper part was closed by shoelaces and the ankle was bound with tree bast fibers to prevent damp from getting in.
A fur hat of semispherical shape with ties that went under the chin.
A belt made of calf’s leather that could be wound twice around the hips.
A pouch, or “fanny pack”, made from a piece of sewn on leather. The longest side was strengthened by decorative stitching, and it could be closed with a fine leather thong. The pouch contained lumps of fungus for making fires that had traces of pyrite materials, indicating that Otzi used it to produce sparks made by a pyrite mineral, and traces of black fibers that may have been used for tinder.
A loin cloth made of long narrow strips of goat leather cross-stitched together. It was worn between the legs and fastened to the belt.
Some of the thread to make various repairs in the clothing and other items were made of grasses, suggesting no ready supply of sinew for thread during his travels.
The equipment:
An awl, a multi-functional tool that could be used for sewing, making tattoos or as a toothpick.
Tinder fungus - ideal for lighting fires if it is kept dry. Traces of iron pyrite show that Otzi knew how to use it to make fires.
A flint knife or dagger in a wooden (ash) handle and bound with animal sinews, which was found in Otzi’s clenched hand.
A sheath for the knife made of mesh of tree bast and sewn with double-plaited grass fibers. A leather eye allowed it to be fastened to the belt with straps so that it was easily accessible.
An axe with an unusual copper head, indicating status, fixed to its wood (yew) handle by birch tar and lashed to the blade with wet leather (that then shrank). It is the only completely intact prehistoric axe in the world.
A retoucher made from a piece of lime wood cut straight at one end and shaped to a point at the other that resembled a pencil. It was probably used for detailed work in making flint instruments.
An unfinished 71 inch longbow made of yew. It was drenched in blood, which may have come from Otzi’s hand or may have been put there as a water repellant.
A quiver of leather supported by a long Hazelwood rod, which was broken into three pieces, with an elaborately decorated side pocket.
Two finished arrows made of viburnum, each with three steering feathers, a broken arrow shaft and twelve shafts for making more arrows, which were never finished. Lengths of wide sinew for a new bow-string were found in the quiver, also some bones or antlers whittled to taper at both ends and rolled up with grass cordage.
A large rucksack with a frame of hazel and larch and two boards that served as horizontal connections for the two ends of the frame. Pieces of string were used to tie them on.
Birch bark canisters that contained lumps of charcoal wrapped in maple leaves, which were possibly embers from an earlier fire.
Two flint scrapers, a gouging tool, a bone needle and a length of cordage spun from grass were also found nearby. The most puzzling artifact is a polished stone circlet with tassels of leather through its center. It is thought to be a talisman or possibly jewelry.
A first-aid kit containing the flesh of birch fungus which had antibiotic and styptic effects. The toxic oils in these fungi are effective against the intestinal parasites from which Otzi suffered.
Climate: The Iceman was found near a pass that is well used today, and would have been an obvious place to cross between the higher mountains in his time as well. He is thought to have died in late spring (new evidence shows spring pollen on his clothing), probably during an unusually late snow in a year of climate change. Alpine glaciers began to spread and deepen, and reach further down the mountains. At first Oetzi lay exposed except for a light covering of snow, and wind dehydrated his body. The snows soon began again; they changed to ice, and the glacier slowly grew around him.
Appearance: The Iceman had wavy brown or black hair and was between 25 and 40 years old. He was about 5 feet, 4 inches tall. His back and legs have patterns of short dark lines that resemble tattoos but are probably signs of acupuncture since they are found on the classic points for treatment of arthritis of the hips and legs, from which Otzi suffered. He also had parasitic stomach bacteria in his intestines. He carried lumps of tree fungus, held together with a strap, which had antibiotic properties and would have been helpful in treating his stomach ailment.
Diet: Otzi had eaten a large meal of ibex meat and einkorn grains cooked on an open fire not long before he died, and later ate a little more meat and grains, possibly in the form of bread.
Descendants: We know that the Iceman fathered young because genetic tests on his body have led to the successful identification of a living female relative in Great Britain. The tests show the presence in both of a gene that passes unchanged from generation to generation through the maternal line. (Bryan Sykes; the Seven Daughters of Eve, 2001)
Occupation: The Iceman might have been a trader or a shepherd bringing his animals back from their high summer pastures. This practice continues today in the Otzal Alps where he was found. He may also have been a hunter since he ate wild game, and, as I have posited, he may have been traveling on an entirely different type of mission. We may never know with certainty.
Home: Pollens found in Otzi’s stomach indicate that he lived in the Vinschgau valley just south of the Alpine mountain chain. Further evidence of this location comes from the mosses he carried.
Cause of death: For almost ten years, scientists speculated about how and why the Iceman died. Theories ranged from ritual killing to freezing to death in a storm, to unspecified violence. The discovery in July 2001 of a flint arrowhead embedded in his left shoulder (until this time X-rays had revealed no external injuries) and the later discovery of the two other wounds provided more concrete answers to the long-standing mystery - Otzi had died as a result of a final violent confrontation. The deep gash in his right hand would have rendered it useless, and the injury to the back of his head would have stunned him, leaving him defenseless. His wounds did not kill him right away, but they played important roles in his death. They were inflicted soon before death and had not had time to heal, and may have bled severely.
We know that his attacker shot him in the back from behind with an arrow, but we may never know with certainty how Otzi’s head was injured or how his hand was wounded. An assailant could have hit his head, or he might have fallen, as I have suggested. Similarly, the wound to his hand could have been made by a knife with a rough edge or the jagged end of the arrow shaft, as in Ice Burial. It can be assumed, however, that the Iceman managed to escape his attackers and flee up the mountain since none of his valuable tools (the copper axe was especially valuable) were taken. Probably he died later as a result of the combined effects of two painful wounds, exhaustion and exposure, the unexpectedly early storm and the weakening effects of the minor illnesses from which he suffered.
Despite the most recent evidence that helps to explain his death, mysteries about the Iceman still abound. Who were his attackers, and why did they attack him? What was he doing on the high pass with such wounds? His equipment makes it obvious that he was an experienced traveler who took with him everything he might need, so he must have made many trips successfully. Why was this one unusual? Why was his knife in his wounded hand, which could not grasp it because of the injury? Why was he naked from the waist up? What prompted him to remove his clothing in a snowstorm? Why did he die exactly where he was, between two ridges?
No one, so far, has fully answered the
se questions. ICE BURIAL presents fictional answers that are based on all available evidence. The Iceman’s clothing, tools and artifacts and all other items - including the mysterious stone circlet, the unfinished bow and arrows and the knife in his hand - are accounted for and explained, as are the circumstances of his death, his wounds and health, and the reason for his presence in the mountains on that fateful day.
The story of the Iceman has been well publicized in magazines and newspapers and is now familiar to most people. The more recent finding that he was murdered has added still more interest. ICE BURIAL provides a dramatic and believable account of his life and the tragic circumstances of his death that is certain to capture the imagination of the reading public. It is a moving story - and a plausible one. As we know to our sorrow, differences in religious or spiritual beliefs have been and remain a potent cause of human violence.
Note: Research on the Iceman continues to produce findings which will be incorporated into the story as needed. These research notes can also be expanded as needed.
August 2012
ICE BURIAL: The Oldest Human Murder Mystery (The Mother People Series Book 3) Page 35
