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Otzi

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Submitted By Piatapux
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Oksana Pervushina
ANT 2511
Questions Module 13 1. What information has been discovered regarding his diet and lifestyle?
Ice and cold weather have done a great job of reserving the iceman so well that scientist were able to identify his age and last meals. Approximately he had two meals before his death, but both included grain, possibly in the form of herb bread, roots and fruits. First meal, possibly consumed in a mid-altitude, consisted of ibex meat and einkorn. Second meal before his death was red deer meat and fresh vegetables. It is unclear of the food was cooked, but researchers have discovered ash scruples possibly from cooking on fire. Also evidence, isotope lodged in teeth animal, shows that people in this part of Europe, Valle Isarco, survived by agriculture and keeping animals. But other researches have studies his knees and discovered evidence of wear and tear caused by daily running and hunting routine. Also, Otzi’s tools, cooper blade ax, iron arrows, a firestarter, a dagger, support the theory that iceman have had hunting lifestyle and perhaps he was a leader in his village because of all fine weapons. 2. Did Otzi have tattoo’s?? If so, how many and what might they represent culturally?

Otzi’s body has 57 tattoos bluish-black color in the forms of lines and crosses made with charcoal that was rubbed in his skin. Other scientists propose that tattoos were made from fireplace soot and injected beneath the skin with a bone or wooden needle. Archeologists studied otzi’s body and found tear and wear on ankles, wrists, knees and came to conclusion that perhaps the tattoos were therapeutic. Further studies revealed that some of the tattoos were located near or on acupuncture points for the treatment of backaches, disease upset stomachs and osteoarthritis. Moreover, majority of these tattoos were probably not for public views and possibly they would have been hidden under the clothing.

3. Describe Otzi’s clothing and equipment. Based on these artifacts, what interpretation can you make as to how he lived?

Iceman had backpack and three layers of clothes with mat over his head, some researchers say that he had a brown fur hat, which was fastened with strings at the top. His clothes included woven grass cape, fur leggings and goatskin undergarments. Otzi’s shoes were made from bear skin with the sections made of deer skin, waterproof and the leather strap held together the shoes. Also, soft grace was put inside of the shoes and served the purpose of warm socks. His coat was probably made from domestic goat skin with the front open and fastened by the belt, wide strip of calf’s leather. Leggings were made from the goat skin and stitched together with animal vein. He had copper ax, birch bark container, a dagger, half-finished long bow and arrows, and arrow repair kit, net and the medicine. At that time a cooper was a symbol of rank; probably, iceman could have been a leader in the village or warrior. The dagger was kept in a sewn triangular case with grass fibers. The net, roughly sewn using tree-bast strings, perhaps was used to catch small animals such as rabbits or birds. Also he carried a medicine kit which consisted of a bone needle and a piece of fungus on a string; fungus was used for various medicine purposes until 20th century.

Cited Source Coghlan, A. (2011, December 11). Ötzi the iceman's stomach throws up a surprise - life - 11 December 2011 - New Scientist. Retrieved April 17, 2014, from http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21228423.600-otzi-the-icemans-stomach-throws-up-a-surprise.html#.U0-NPnAqS4E
Einkorn Wheat Bread: Ötzi the Iceman’s Last Meal » Einkorn.com. (n.d.). Retrieved April 17, 2014, from http://www.einkorn.com/otzi-the-icemans-last-meal-included-einkorn-wheat-bread/
Fowler, B. (1998, November 24). NOVA | The Iceman's Last Meal. Retrieved April 17, 2014, from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/ancient/iceman-last-meal.html
Jones , T. (2009, July 21). Ötzi: Iceman’s Tattoos Were Born In Fire | Anthropology.net. Retrieved April 17, 2014, from http://anthropology.net/2009/07/21/otzi-icemans-tattoos-were-born-in-fire/
Ötzi, the Iceman - Archaeology Magazine. (2013, October 9). Retrieved April 17, 2014, from http://www.archaeology.org/issues/109-1311/features/tattoos/1351-oetzi-copper-age-alps-iceman-tattoos

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