Otzi's clothing analyzed

Angela

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Their survival depended on knowing what animal skins or other materials would ensure that, and you can see the results in this analysis of his clothing.

"Researchers have used genetic analysis to determine which animals were used to make the clothes worn by Ötzi the Iceman, according to a report in Live Science. The results show that Ötzi, who died 5,300 years ago in the Ötztal Alps on the border of Austria and Italy and whose well-preserved mummy was discovered by hikers in 1991, wore an outfit fashioned from a range of animals likely selected for the different properties of their skin or fur. His shoes were made from hardy cattle leather, his leggings from more supple goatskin. His coat was made from sheep, for warmth, his hat from brown bear, and his quiver from deer. The researchers believe the evidence indicates that Ötzi obtained at least some of his garments or the material to make them via trade. “It is probable that the Iceman was not a hermit,” said Niall O’Sullivan of the University College Dublin in Ireland and the Institute for Mummies and the Iceman. “He likely traded furs or domestic animals.”"

The latter is indeed probable as the settlement was on a trade route.


This is a more detailed article from National Geographic:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/08/otzi-iceman-european-alps-mummy-clothing-dna-leather-fur-archaeology/

"
They confirmed that Ötzi's leather loincloth and hide coat were "haphazardly" stitched from sheepskin, an identification already made inprevious studies. However, the genetic analysis revealed that the sheep species sampled is closer to modern domestic European sheep than to their wild cousins, and that the articles were fashioned from the skins of at least four animals.


The analysis showed that part of Ötzi's coat was also made from domesticated goat belonging to a mitochondrial haplogroup (a genetic population that shares a common female ancestor) that still roams the hills and valleys of central Europe today."


image: http://public.media.smithsonianmag....-4bca-9177-bd5797d4935a/otzi_clothes_copy.jpg
otzi_clothes_copy.jpg

Assemblage of images of the Iceman’s clothing as on display at the Museum of Archaeology, Bolzano. From Top Left: A shoe with grass interior (left) and leather exterior (right), the leather coat (reassembled by the museum), leather loincloth, grass coat, fur hat, and leather leggings. (Institute for Mummies and the Iceman)

This group is as slow as molasses. The entire population genetics history of the world is being analyzed, and they're still doling out one paper every two years. Are they unionized, or something?
 
This video shows Otzi's clothing more closely, and it also has a bit on how he might have carried fire with him.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9yOi24bXfk

A lot of survivalist types seem to be very interested in him. There are all sorts of videos on how to reproduce his gear, ie. make his bows, arrows, dagger, ax, backpack, shoes, belt etc.

This is what I meant about Otzi living near an established trade route;
clip_image007_thumb.jpg



This explains the clothing in more detail. Just click on each separate item:
https://wattsupwiththat.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/clip_image007_thumb.jpg?w=576&h=253
 
wasn't Ötzi being persued by ennemies with arches? wasn't he hit by an arrow?
I think his last trip high in the Alps was not planned at all. It looks more like he was on the run.

And the technology to transport fire, I would think it was invented by nomadic HG, long before the neolithic.

But my guess is as good as anybody elses
 
wasn't Ötzi being persued by ennemies with arches? wasn't he hit by an arrow?
I think his last trip high in the Alps was not planned at all. It looks more like he was on the run.

And the technology to transport fire, I would think it was invented by nomadic HG, long before the neolithic.

But my guess is as good as anybody elses

That's what it looks like to me, as well. He was struck by an arrow from behind and bashed in the skull as well.

A lot of people have questioned why whoever it was that did it left the copper ax behind. It's always seemed to me that given that a copper ax was such a prestige item at the time, and therefore not that common, it would be hard to explain why you suddenly had one. If it were someone from Otzi's own settlement, there would be the added risk that someone would recognize it as being specifically Otzi's.

If Otzi weren't so old by the standards of the day I'd think perhaps it was over a woman. The motive is usually sex, or money, or gain in some way, perhaps in status. The technology has changed, but people haven't.
 

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