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The Handbook of Mummy Studies pp 1–22Cite as

Life and Diseases of the Neolithic Glacier Mummy “Ötzi”

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Abstract

The unusual find of a very well-preserved human adult male mummy in an Alpine glacier in 1991 was the starting point for a unique series of scientific analyses that resulted in a concise reconstruction of life, diseases, and death of the Neolithic individual (dating to c. 3350–3100 BCE). Not only his basic anthropological information, genetic origin, nutritional supply, and physical activity pattern were investigated, but also numerous diseases, possible therapeutic treatment, and a sequence of traumatic injuries have been identified. The c. 45-year-old man was highly mobile, well-nourished with a balanced animal-faunal diet, suffered from intestinal parasitic infections (Trichuris trichiura) and gastric bacteria (Helicobacter pylori), gallbladder stones, pulmonary anthracosis, mild to moderate arteriosclerosis (of the media-type), mild focal osteoarthrosis, and cervical/lumbar spondylosis. Besides old-healed rib fractures, he had acquired a deep hand wound from stabbing several days before his death; lastly, a lethal arrow strike to the back of his chest wall led, most probably, to laceration of the subclavian artery with extensive bleeding. Whether he also suffered from severe brain trauma by falling on his head, and systemic infectious disease (Lyme’s disease; Borrelia burgdorferi) is not yet clear. The extensive analysis of his belongings, found nearby, add significant further information to the Iceman’s life. It remains to be seen what further information can be obtained on this unique mummy.

Prof. Peschel is additionally the leader of the conservation team for the mummy of the Iceman, Bolzano, Italy.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are indebted to Prof. Simon Donell for language correction of this manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Pathology, Academic Hospital Munich-Bogenhausen, Munich, Germany

    Andreas G. Nerlich

  2. South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology, Bolzano, South Tyrol, Italy

    Angelika Fleckinger

  3. Institute of Legal Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany

    Oliver Peschel

Authors
  1. Andreas G. Nerlich
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  2. Angelika Fleckinger
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  3. Oliver Peschel
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Andreas G. Nerlich .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea (Republic of)

    Dong Hoon Shin

  2. University of Warwick, Coventry, UK

    Raffaella Bianucci

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Nerlich, A.G., Fleckinger, A., Peschel, O. (2020). Life and Diseases of the Neolithic Glacier Mummy “Ötzi”. In: Shin, D., Bianucci, R. (eds) The Handbook of Mummy Studies. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-1614-6_19-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-1614-6_19-1

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  • Print ISBN: 978-981-15-1614-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-15-1614-6

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