30 Years of Ötzi

Research milestones, the most important publications (pag.3),

and current research projects (pag. 9)

1991
The forensic doctor, Rainer Henn, recovers the body on September 23rd.
On October 2nd, the national border is remeasured. The site is 92.56 meters away from the border
on the South Tyrolean side.
From October 3rd to 5th, Andreas Lippert carries out the first excavation at the site.
A. Lippert, Die erste archäologische Nachuntersuchung am Tisenjoch, Gem. Schnals (Südtirol), in:
Höpfel / Platzer / Spindler (Hg.), Der Mann im Eis. Band 1, 245–253.

1992
Founding of the Institute for Alpine Prehistory at Leopold-Franzens-University in Innsbruck on May
21st.
The first scientific symposium on the “man in the ice” is held in Innsbruck from June 3rd to 5th.
F. Höpfel / W. Platzer / K. Spindler (Hg.), Der Mann im Eis. Band 1. Bericht über das Symposium
1992 in Innsbruck (Veröffentlichungen der Universität Innsbruck 187), Innsbruck 1992.
Radiocarbon dating reveals the age of the mummy: 3350-3120 BC.
G. Bonani / S. D. Ivy / T. R. Niklaus / M. Suter / R. A. Housley / C. R. Bronk / G. J. van Klinken / R.
E. M. Hedges, Altersbestimmung von Milligrammproben der Ötztaler Gletscherleiche mit der
Beschleuniger-Massenspektrometrie-Methode (AMS), in: Höpfel / Platzer / Spindler (Hg.), Der
Mann im Eis. Band 1, 108–116.
From August 10th to 25th, the second excavation takes place under the direction of Andreas
Lippert.
A. Lippert, Archäologische Nachuntersuchung am Tisenjoch, in: Archäologie Österreichs 3/2
(1992), 36–37; B. Bagolini / L. Dal Ri / A. Lippert / H. Nothdurfter, Der Mann im Eis: Die
Fundbergung 1992 am Tisenjoch, Gem. Schnals, Südtirol, in: K. Spindler / E. Rastbichler-Zissernig
/ H. Wilfing / D. zur Nedden / H. Nothdurfter (Hg.), Der Mann im Eis. Neue Funde und Ergebnisse
(The Man in the Ice 2), Wien-New York 1995, 3–22.

1993
In September the Institute for Alpine Prehistory organizes another symposium, this time on the
topic of the mummy’s long-term conservation.

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Human Mummies. A Global Survey of their Status and the Techniques of Conservation (The Man
in the Ice Volume 3), Wien-New York 1996.
The Römisch-Germanische Zentralmuseum publishes an initial summary of the associated finds.
Die Gletschermumie vom Ende der Steinzeit in den Ötztaler Alpen, Mainz 1993 = M. Egg / K.
Spindler (mit Beiträgen von W. G. van Waateringe und R. Goedecker Ciolek), Die Gletschermumie
vom Ende der Steinzeit aus den Ötztaler Alpen – Vorbericht, in: Jahrbuch Röm.-Germ. Zentralmus.
Mainz 39/1 (1992), 3–113.

1998
On January 16th the mummy and associated finds are transferred from Innsbruck to the new South
Tyrol Museum of Archaeology in Bolzano.
From January 22nd to 24th the first international conference takes place in Bolzano.
Die Gletschermumie aus der Kupferzeit. Neue Forschungsergebnisse zum Mann aus dem Eis
(Schriften des Südtiroler Archäologiemuseums 1), Bozen-Wien 1999.
On March 28th the new South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology opens.

2001
From January 20th to 22nd the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology holds the second scientific
conference.
Die Gletschermumie aus der Kupferzeit 2. Neue Forschungsergebnisse zum Mann aus dem Eis
(Schriften des Südtiroler Archäologiemuseums 3), Bozen-Wien 2003.

2009
Eurac Research holds the first World Congress on Mummy Studies in Bolzano.
1st Bolzano Mummy Congress. Mummies and Life Sciences, Programme and Abstracts, Bozen
2009.

2011
Eurac Research holds the second World Congress on Mummy Studies in Bolzano.
2nd Bolzano Mummy Congress. Mummies from the Ice, Programme and Abstracts, Bozen 2011.

2016
Eurac Research and the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology organize the third World Congress
on Mummy Studies in Bolzano.
3rd Bolzano Mummy Congress. Ötzi: 25 Jahre Forschung, Program and Abstracts, Bozen 2016.

2020
Iceman-Database goes online (https://www.iceman.it/en/database/)
The Ötzi knowledge base on the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology’s website currently provides
explanations for more than 775 keywords regarding the Iceman. It also lists all researchers
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(currently 880) and relevant international academic publications and popular science articles
(currently 1,180). It simplifies international research and can answer questions from scientists as
well as interested school children with two texts written with different levels of complexity.

Chronology of the most significant publications about Ötzi, the Iceman

1998-2021

2001

Radiologist Paul Gostner discovers that the Iceman was murdered: an arrowhead is lodged
in his shoulder

Publication: E. Egarter Vigl/ P. Gostner, Insight: Report of Radiological-Forensic Findings on the

Iceman. Journal of Archaeological Science (2002) 29, 323-326

2002

The Iceman’s last meal: ibex and venison, vegetables, grains

Publication: Rollo, F.U. et al., Ötzi’s last meals: DNA analysis of the intestinal content of the
Neolithic glacier mummy from the Alps, PNAS October 1 vol 99 no 99 (2002)

2003

The Iceman did not come from abroad, rather he was born and lived in what is now South
Tyrol

Publication: W. Müller, H. Fricke, A.N. Halliday, M.T. McCulloch, J.-A. Wartho, Origin and Migration
of the Alpine Iceman, Science 302, 31 oct. 2003, 862-866

Ötzi was in a fight before his death: an unhealed cut gapes on his right hand

Publication: A. Nerlich, B. Bachmeier, A. Zink, S. Thalhammer, E. Egarter Vigl, Ötzi had a wound
on his right hand, The Lancet 362, July 26, 2003

2006

Ötzi belongs to the genetic haplogroup “K” on his mother’s side

Publication: F.U. Rollo/L. Ermini/S. Luciani/, I. Marota, C. Olivieri, D. Luiselli, Fine characterization
of the Iceman’s mtDNA Haplogroup. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 130 (2006) 557-
564
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The Iceman had an athletic build and was more of a wanderer than a manual worker

Publication: C.B. Ruff, B.M. Holt, V. Sladek, M. Berner, W.A. Murphy jr, D. zur Nedden, H. Seidler,
W. Recheis, Body size, body proportions and mobility in the Tyrolean “Iceman”, Journal of Human
Evolution 51-1 (2006) 91-101

2007

Radiologically confirmed: the arrowhead in his shoulder pierced the subclavian artery. The
Iceman bled to death.

Publication: P. Pernter, P. Gostner, E. Egarter Vigl, F. R. Rühli, F. J.: Radiologic proof for the
Iceman`s cause of death (ca. 5300 BP). In: Journal of Archeological Science, 34 (2007) 1784 –
1786 (doi:10.1016/j.jas.2006.12.019)

The last 33 hours in Iceman’s life, analyzed using pollen found in his intestines

Publication: K. Oeggl, W. Kofler, A. Schmidl, J.H. Dickson, E. Egarter-Vigl, O. Gaber, The

reconstruction of the last itinerary of "Ötzi", the Neolithic Iceman, by pollen analyses from
sequentially sampled gut extracts. In: Quaternary Science Reviews 26 (2007) 853-861

2008

Publication of the complete mitochondrial (maternal) DNA sequence of the Iceman

(Prof. Dr. Franco Ugo Rollo, Università di Camerino) The Iceman’s genome is the oldest fully
sequenced Homo sapiens mtDNA to date. The Iceman belonged to a branch of mitochondrial
haplogroup K1 that has not yet been identified in modern European populations. In his honor it was
named “K1ӧ”.
Publication: Ermini, L. / Olivieri, C. / Rizzi, E. / Corti, G. / Bonnal, R. / Soares, P. / Luciani, S. /
Marota, I. / De Bellis, G. / Richards, M. B. / Rollo, F.: Complete Mitochondrial Genome Sequence
of the Tyrolean Iceman. In: Current Biology, Vol. 18 (2008) 1687-93

2009

The Iceman died in early summer

(Prof. Dr. Klaus Oeggl, Institut für Botanik, Universität Innsbruck/Austria)

Publication: Oeggl, K.: The significance of the Tyrolean Iceman for the Archaeobotany of Central
Europe. In: Veget Hist Archaeobot (2009) 18:1-11

2011

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Ötzi’s y-chromosomal DNA is identified. Researchers find blood cells. The Iceman’s
stomach contents are analyzed. Ötzi had tooth decay. The Iceman was involved in seasonal
transhumance.

(PD Dr. Albert Zink (DNA), Dr. Marek Janko (Blut), Dr. Frank Maixner (Magen), alle EURAC-
Institute for mummies and the Iceman, laboratory for ancient DNA); Dr. Roger Seiler (Zähne),
Centre for Evolutionary Medicine (ZEM) Zurich; Dr. Wolfgang Müller (Transhumanz), Royal
Holloway University of London. All studies were presented at the EURAC Iceman Congress from
October 20th-22nd, 2011 in Bolzano. Many of these results have now been published in scientific
journals, some of them were also published in the 2014 Yearbook of Mummy Studies.

2012

The Iceman’s genome (nuclear DNA, inherited from the paternal side) is deciphered.

Ötzi had brown eyes, blood group 0, and belongs to the y-chromosomal haplogroup G2a2b
(formerly G2a4), which is rare in modern Europe. The Iceman was lactose intolerant (he could not
consume milk). Maladies: The Iceman was predisposed to cardiovascular disease and is the first
recorded case of a human infected with Lyme disease pathogen.

Publication: Keller, A. / Graefen, A. / Ball, M. / Matzas, M. / Boisguerin, V. / Maixner, F. / Leidinger,

P. / Backes, C. / Khairat, R. / Forster, M. / Stade, B. / Franke, A. / Mayer, J. / Spangler, J. /
McLaughlin, S. / Shah, M. / Lee, C. / Harkins, T.T. / Sartori, A. / Moreno-Estrada, A. / Henn, B. /
Sikora, M. / Semino, O. / Chiaroni, J. / Rootsi, S. / Myres, N.M. / Cabrera, V.M. / Underhill, P.A. /
Bustamante, C.D. / Egarter Vigl, E. / Samadelli, M. / Cipollini, G. / Haas, J. / Katus, H. / O’Connor,
B.D. / Carlson, M.R.J. / Meder, B. / Blin, N. / Meese, E. / Pusch, C.M. / Zink, A.: New insights into
the Tyrolean Iceman's origin and phenotype as inferred by whole-genome sequencing. In: Nature
Communications 3:698 doi: 10.1038/ncomms1701 (2012);

The Iceman’s blood cells are the oldest in the world.

Publication: Janko, M. / Stark, R.W. / Zink, A.: Preservation of 5300 year old blood cells in the
Iceman. In: J. R. Soc. Interface. Publ. online 2 May (2012); doi: 10.1098/rsif.2012.0174

Was Ötzi a shepherd?

Archaeological evidence suggests that inner-alpine transhumance did not begin until the Middle
Bronze Age.
Publication: Putzer, A.: Von Bernstein und Hirtinnen – prähistorische Weidewirtschaft im Schnalstal
in Südtirol. In: Archäologisches Korrespondenzblatt Jahrgang 42, Heft 2 (2012), 153-170; für das
Finailtal: A. Putzer: Königinnen der Almen. Prähistorische Weidewirtschaft im Schnalstal. In: Der
Schlern Heft 11, 87 (2013), 4-31

2013 / 2014

The Iceman suffered from tooth decay and periodontosis

Publication: Seiler, R. / Spielman, A.I. / Zink, A. / Rühli, F.: Oral pathologies of the Neolithic
Iceman, c. 3,300 BC. In: European Journal of Oral Sciences (2013) 1-5;
Publication: Maixner, F. / Thomma, A. / Cipollini, F. / Widder, W. / Rattei T. / Zink, A.: Metagenomic

5
Analysis Reveals Presence of Treponema denticola in a Tissue Biopsy of the Iceman. In: Plos One
9, 6 (2014) 1-10 (Nachweis von der Präsenz von Bakterien, die mit Parodontose in Verbindung
gebracht werden).

2015

Ötzi has 61 tattoos

The precise number of tattoos on the Iceman’s body are finally be determined after an examination
with light sources of different wavelengths: there are 61 lines and crosses. A new group of lines is
discovered on his chest near his lower right rib.

Publication: Samadelli, M. / Melis, M. / Miccolic, M. / Egarter Vigl, E. / Zink, A.R.: Complete

mapping of the tattoos of the 5300-year-old Tyrolean Iceman. In: Journal of cultural heritage
(2015), DOI: 10.1016/j.culher.2014.12.005;

The Iceman’s tattoos are the oldest known in the world

Deter-Wolf, A. / Robitaille, B. / Krutak, L. / Gaillot, S.: The world’s oldest tattoos. In: Journal of
Archaeological Science: Reports 5 (2016) 19-24; online 12.11.2015 Link

2016

Evidence of Helicobacter pylori in the stomach of the Iceman

Publication: Maixner, F. / Krause-Kyora, B. / Turaev, D. / Herbig, A. / Hoopmann, M.R. / Hallows,

J.L. / Kusebauch, U. / Egarter Vigl, E. / Malfertheiner, P. / Megraud, F. / O’Sullivan, N. / Cipollini, G.
/ Coia, V. / Samadelli, M. / Engstrand, L. / Linz, B. / Moritz, R.L. / Grimm, R. / Krause, J. / Nebel, A.
/ Moodley, Y. / Rattei, T. / Zink, A.: The 5300-year-old Helicobacter pylori genome of the Iceman.
In: Science VOL 351 ISSUE 6269 (2016) 162-165, doi: 10.1126/science.aad2545

Genetics: The Iceman’s maternal line is now extinct

Publication: Coia, V. / Cipollini, G. / Anagnostou, P. / Maixner, F. / Battaggia, C. / Brisighelli, F. /

Gómez-Carballa, A. / Destro Bisol, G. / Salas, A. / Zink, A.: Whole mitochondrial DNA sequencing
in Alpine populations and the genetic history of the Neolithic Tyrolean Iceman. In: Science Report
6, 18932 (2016), doi: 10.1038/srep18932

Determination of mtDNA of nine leather and fur samples from Ötzi’s clothing

New: The Iceman’s quiver is made of deer hide, among other things. His loincloth is made of
sheepskin. A piece of leather strap from his shoe is of bovine origin.
Publication: O’Sullivan, N.J. / Teasdale, M.D. / Mattiangeli, V. / Maixner, F. / Pinhasi, R. / Bradley,
D.G. / Zink, A.: A whole mitochondria analysis of the Tyrolean Iceman’s leather provides insights
into the animal sources of Copper Age clothing. In: Scientific Reports 6 (2016) 31279, doi:
10.1038/srep31279;

Criminal profiling of the Iceman’s murder

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His murder more than 5,000 years ago appears to be due to a personal conflict days before his
death.
Press news from the 3rd Bolzano Mummy Congress - Ötzi: 25 Years of Research on 19-09-2016

2017

The copper used to make Ötzi’s axe blade comes from southern Tuscany

Publication: Artioli, G. / Angelini, I. / Kaufmann, G. / Canovaro, C. / Dal Sasso, G. / Villa, I.M.:

Long-distance connections in the Copper Age: New evidence from the Alpine Iceman’s copper
axe. In: PLOS One 12(7) (2017) 1-14.

2018

The Iceman: Troubles at heart

High-resolution computer tomography images show calcifications in the 46-year-old Iceman’s

coronary arteries.
Publication: Pernter, P. / Pedrinolla, B. / Gostner, P.: Das Herz des Mannes aus dem Eis. Ein
paleoradiologischer Fall. In: RöFo Fortschritte auf dem Gebiet der Röntgenstrahlen und der
bildgebenden Verfahren 190 (2018) 61-64 hier

Ötzi’s lithic tools and their origin

Origin of flint: Trentino (Monti Lessini-Nonsberg-Lombard basin); The Iceman’s lack of raw
material; the Iceman was right-handed.

Publication: Wierer, U. / Arrighi, S. / Bertola, S. / Kaufmann, G. / Baumgarten, B. / Pedrotti, A. /

Pernter, P. / Pelegrin, J.: The Iceman's lithic toolkit: raw material, technology, typology and use.
In: PLOS ONE (2018)

The Iceman’s last meal

Deer and ibex meat with an above-average percentage of fat, einkorn, and the toxic bracken fern.
Publication: Maixner, F. / Turaev, D. / Cazenave-Gassiot, A. / Janko, M. / Krause-Kyora, B. /
Hoopmann, M.R. / Kusebauch, U. / Sartain, M. / Guerriero, G. / O’Sullivan, N. / Teasdale, M. /
Cipollini, G. / Paladin, A. / Mattiangeli, V. / Samadelli, M. / Tecchiati, U. / Putzer, A. / Palazoglu, M.
/ Meissen, J. / Lösch, S. / Rausch, Ph. / Baines, J.F. / Kim, B.J. / An, H.J. / Gostner, P. / Egarter-
Vigl, E. / Malfertheiner, P. / Keller, A. / Stark, R.W. / Wenk, M. / Bishop, D. / Bradley, D.G. / Fiehn,
O. / Engstrand, L. / Moritz, R.L. / Doble, Ph. / Franke, A. / Nebel, A. / Oeggl, K. / Rattei, T. / Grimm,
R. / Zink, A.: The Iceman’s Last Meal Consisted of Fat, Wild Meat, and Cereals. In: Current Biology
28, 1-8, July 23 (2018); Artikel in Current Biology

2019

Intestinal Flora
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Discovery of the intestinal bacteria prevotella copri in Ötzi. Sign of more diverse intestinal flora than
what is found in people of the Western world today.

Publication: Tett, A. / Huang, K. / Asnicar, F. / Fehlner-Peach, H. / Pasolli, E. / Karcher, N. /

Armanini, F. / Manghi, P. / Bonham, K. / Zolfo, M. / De Filippis, F. / Magnabosco, C. / Bonneau, R. /
Lusingu, J. / Amuasi, J. / Reinhard, K. / Rattei, T. / Boulund, F. / Engstrand, L. / Zink, A. / Collado,
M. / Littman, D. / Eibach, D. / Ercolini, D. / Rota-Strabelli, O. / Huttenhower, C. / Maixner, F. /
Segata, N.: The Prevotella copri Complex Comprises Four Distinct Clades Underrepresented in
Westernized Populations. In: Cell Host & Microbe 26-5 (2019), doi:
doi.org/10.1016/j.chom.2019.08.018; Artikel in Cell Host & Microbe
Patient Ötzi
Ötzi‘s first aid kit and his tattoos are a sign of extensive knowledge of treatment methods in the
Copper Age.

Publication: Zink, A. / Samadelli, M. / Gostner, P. / Piombino-Mascali, D.: Possible evidence for

care and treatment in the Tyrolean Iceman. In: International Journal of Paleopathology (2018) doi:
10.1016/j.ijpp.2018.07.006; Artikel in International Journal of Paleopathology

The Iceman’s bowstring

The artfully twisted string in Ötzi’s quiver was not made of linden bast fibers, but of animal sinews
and is therefore most likely Ötzi’s bowstring.

Publication: Junkmanns, J. / Klügl, J. / Schoch, W. / Di Pietro, G. / Hafner, A.: Neolithic and Bronze
Age Archery Equipment from Alpine Ice-Patches: A Review on Components, Construction
Techniques and Functionality. In: Journal of Neolithic Archaeology (2019), DOI: doi
10.12766/jna.2019.10; Artikel in Journal of Neolithic Archaeology

Local Migration

Mosses in the Iceman’s stomach provide insight into places where he stayed prior to his death.

Publication: Dickson, J. / Oeggl, K. / Kofler, W. / Hofbauer, W. / Porley, R. / Rothero, G. / Schmidl,

A. / Heiss, A.: Seventy-five mosses and liverworts found frozen with the late Neolithic Tyrolean
Iceman: Origins, taphonomy and the Iceman’s last journey. In: Plos one, 14-10 (2019); Artikel
in Plos One

European Migration

Ötzi in the context of continental and alpine migration: microbiological and cultural influences.

Publication by Rollinger/Stadler, Leuzinger and Hajnal in: Rollinger, R. / Stadler, H. (Hg.): 7

Millionen Jahre Migrationsgeschichte. Innsbruck, University Press (2019) 7-39, 91-125;

2021
Pathological findings from 30 years of research on the Iceman

Publication: Nerlich, A. / Egarter Vigl, E. / Fleckinger, A. / Tauber, M. / Peschel, O.: Der Mann aus
8
dem Eis. Lebensszenario und Pathologische Befunde aus 30 Jahren Forschung an der
Gletschermumie „Ötzi“. In: Der Pathologe, online July 8, 2021, https://DOI.org/10.1007/s00292-21-
00961-6

30 years of research history about the Iceman

Publication: Kaufmann, G.: 30 Jahre Ötzi-Forschung. In: Der Schlern, 9 (2021) 4-45;

Current Research Projects on the Iceman

Creation of a radiological atlas of the Iceman: Archiving and analysis of all radiological records
of Ötzi (Südtiroler Archäologiemuseum und ETH Zürich, Institut für evolutionäre Medizin)

Schnals – The high mountains as an economic and interactive area for prehistoric village
communities. Study regarding use of territory in the Copper Age and Neolithic and reconstruction
of how pastoral economies and highland agriculture functioned during the Bronze and Iron Age.
(Südtiroler Archäologiemuseum)

Studies on the circulation of copper in the Ӧtzi’s time. The Iceman’s axe and the
archaeometallurgical context of copper axes in the central-alpine area and the Italian peninsula
(Südtiroler Archäologiemuseum und Università di Padova, dipartimento di Geoscienze)

Antibody Fingerprint of the Iceman. Profile of viral infections in Ancient Europe, autoimmune
and inflammatory signatures. (Südtiroler Archäologiemuseum und The John Hopkins University
School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA)

Iceman Conservation Project: Study regarding the conservation status of Ötzi, the Iceman
(Südtiroler Archäologiemuseum und EURAC Institut für Mumienforschung)

As of: 14.09.2021