Home / Editor's Pick /

Ötzi the Stone Age Man : New knowledge about the glacier mummy

09:30
15 November 2022

Ötzi the Stone Age Man
New knowledge about the glacier mummy

This is what the glacier mummy looked like when it was found in 1991.This is what the glacier mummy looked like when it was found in 1991. - © picture alliance

New knowledge about the glacier mummy Ötzi: The Stone Age man from the Alps probably died more than 5000 years ago, at a different time of year than previously thought.

In 1991, a sensational discovery was made in the Alps: on the Tisenjoch in the Ötztal Alps near the Italian-Austrian border, the oldest natural mummy of a Stone Age man was found. Since then, archaeologists have been trying to reconstruct Ötzi's movements before his death, and what also happened in the time after his death.

Until now, many experts have assumed that Ötzi fled into the mountains with damaged equipment after some violent confrontation, after which he died in a canyon in Tisenjoch in the autumn. The theory was that he was then quickly buried in snow and ice.

It wasn't until about 5,300 years later that the glaciers melted and released him, following unprecedented melting.

Ötzi apparently did not die in the autumn

A new study suggests it may have happened in a rather different way. Researchers from Norway, Switzerland and Austria suggest that Ötzi probably died in spring or summer, not autumn.

Initially, the body appeared to lie on snow and ice, which melted away over the summer. After some time, Ötzi and his belongings slipped into a canyon a few metres below, where the glacier mummy was found many years later.

The new theory suggests that Ötzi was not constantly covered by ice or snow over the thousands of years, with warm summers recorded during the first 1500 years after his death.

This may explain the decay of his body and the objects he wore, which were the most exposed to the environmental conditions.

Around 3800 years ago, Ötzi was finally completely covered by snow and ice. So it was only at the end of the 20th century that the glacier mummy reappeared, due to the increased warming of the Alps caused by climate change.

The theory of struggle seems doubtful

The new research also casts doubt on the theory of a fight or conflict shortly before his death, which would have led to the damage, particularly to his tools.

Now the research suggests that it is far more likely that the damage came from the movement of objects on and in the ice. Similar damage can be compared to other ice age excavations.

The information in Weather & Radar's article is based on the research article in the scientific journal The Holocene.

Weather & Radar editorial team
More on the topic
Snow-covered car and weather radar
Tuesday, 8 July 2025

Winter feeling in summer

Fresh snow in the Alps
Temperature radar of the UK and Ireland with heat warning, highs of 30+ degrees in England and Wales.
Thursday, 10 July 2025

Take precautions

Third heatwave takes grip
Wind radar and warning map for strong gusting winds across south-east Ireland, Wales, and the English south coast.
Tuesday, 15 July 2025

For UK and Ireland

Pressure system prompts wind warnings
All weather news
This might also interest you
Weather map on the left showing heavy rain over the UK and Ireland. Wind map on the right shows strong gusting winds over Ireland, Wales, and England, strongest in the south.
Tuesday, 15 July 2025

Breakfast brief

Wet, gusty, with thundery potential
Temperature radar showing daily highs for the UK and Ireland. Warmest in south-east England. Next to a weather map showing heavier rain over Ireland, showers in parts of England and Scotland.
Wednesday, 16 July 2025

Breakfast brief

Some rain but warmer again
Tuesday, 8 July 2025

Breakfast brief

Sunny in the east, overcast in the west
All articles
Weather & Radar

www.weatherandradar.co.uk

facebooktwittertikTokContact uslinkList
Privacy Policy | Legal info | Accessibility statement