Otzi The Ice Man Research Paper

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In 1991, a history changing discovery was made. A man was found completely frozen in ice. This wasn’t just anyone; this was a 5000-year-old mummified person. As it turns out, he is the first cold case murder. Based on injuries, researchers claim that he was murdered by another person and died where he was found. This paper will discuss the details of Ötzi the Ice Man’s discovery, how historians and scientists hypothesize what his life was like, his untimely demise, and how his discovery and ongoing dissection is still relevant to people today. The few hikers who found Ötzi didn’t know that they had just made one of the most groundbreaking discoveries in modern history. Buried under snow, they uncovered a body that is now known …show more content…

These included a dagger, a fire-starting kit, half-built arrows, and a bow. Most interesting of all the items that were found around him was a copper axe. This item leads historians and researchers to believe that he was some sort of figure of importance, such as a shaman or leader, during his time alive. It has also been discovered that Ötzi is covered in ink. Just over 60 tattoos have been found on his body, and are believed to have been used as some sort of pain therapy. This goes hand in hand with his worn joints and possible Lyme disease. (Hall, 2007) (Owen, …show more content…

However, during a series of x-rays performed on his body in 2001, a stone arrowhead was found lodged in his shoulder. This lead researchers to believe that he was murdered. The arrowhead would have hit his subclavian artery, causing him to bleed out and die within an hour. Many theories have arisen since this discovery about possible ways he died, including being killed by thieves or even his own people. Some also believe that he held some position of power due to the copper axe found on him, as mentioned previously. This item plays such a big role in his story since it was an item of luxury at the time. Only those who were either very rich or very powerful owned (Hall) The mere existence of Ötzi has kept scientists and researchers on their toes since his discovery. There is now a much clearer perspective on what people in the Cooper Age looked like and how they behaved. Speaking of which, the shoes that he was found wearing have directly influenced how we style shoes today. A shoe brand named OTZ, after Ötzi, designs all its shoes based on the extremely orthopedic shoes that he was found wearing. (Shoes,