This Is Ötzi  by: Jace Weaver

People call him the Iceman. But you can call him Otzi. “Otzi”  was a 45 year old male that lived in the Copper Age period of 3345 BCE and 3300 BCE.

Otzi as you may be wondering isn’t his real name however. Nobody’s knows his real name as he lived in such an old time period nobody lives in to date. But what we do know is that Otzi was an important man. How? Scientists found a copper axe that he carried along with him, and copper was a really expensive material thousands of years ago.

How Did Otzi Die?

Otzi was said to be assassinated in the back of the head when scientists found that there was a large hole in the back of his head. We aren’t sure of what he was assassinated with, but scientists did find an arrow in his left shoulder.

But that isn’t the only theory about Otzi’s  death. Another is that he experienced hypothermia and passed. That’s the most reasonable explanation. It is usually very brisk up in high altitudes especially in the Otztal Alps.

 

What Was With Otzi?

To survive his journey through the Otztal Alps, Otzi carried many materials with him.

One was a copper axe. Copper was a large cost back in 3000 BCE and was a very valuable resource. There is no other kind of axe in the world like Otzi’s. It is made of 99.7% of copper and the haft was made out of a tree called yew.

Otzi also carried with him a longbow, arrows, and quiver. The bow was unfinished. The longbow had such power that it could easily strike an animal 30 to 50 meters away.

For hunting, Otzi carried a 13 centimeter long flint dagger. Otzi’s dagger is said to be the most fully preserved dagger from the Copper Age. The handle of the dagger was made out of ash wood, and the blade made out of flint.

And to sharpen his flint-made blade, Otzi carried a retoucheur. It is 12 centimeters long and is made out of a stripped branch of  a lime tree.

Lastly,  Otzi had a wooden backpack to store his goods and materials for survival in the Alps. It’s a tradition in the Alps to have wooden backpacks. There are only three remaining parts of his backpack, a U-shaped hazel rod and two wooden boards.

What Did Otzi Eat?

Food was different back then especially for survival. Otzi had to eat deer meat, goat meat, and other animals.

And to get his carbs, Otzi ate cereals such as grains and wheats.

Otzi’s last meal was said to be a meal of meat, a herb and breads. Shortly after, scientists concluded that he passed away.

 

Where Can You See Otzi?

Otzi is preserved in the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology in Bolzano, Italy. He has been held there mummified since 1998.