Otzi The Iceman: Your tattoos last longer than you
Tattooed bands around Otzi’s wrist
What a better place to start our tattoo journey through time than with Otzi the Iceman. He hails from the Copper Age, and he is one of the only pieces of evidence from then with that extent of preservation. Significantly, Otzi and his tattoos are older than the Pyramids.
Otzi was preserved in the ice of the Otzal Valley Alps (very Avatar the Last Airbender) for 5300 years. He is considered by most scholars to have the oldest tattoos, and the oldest murder we know about. Otzi’s body and his tattoos predate Stonehenge and the Egyptian Pyramids, as did the evidence of his demise. Thus, Otzi’s remains have become subject to scrutinous research and cold case investigations as the best preserved mummy and murder victim of the Copper Age.
After being shot in the back the glaciers enclosed him into a natural ice tomb. After 5300 years of laying face down in the snow with an arrow in his back, two German tourists on a hike found his remains. Unless deliberately mummified, most remains from thousands of years ago are just skeletal. The rare circumstances in which Otzi died allows his flesh and bones to be almost perfectly preserved. He was so well preserved, scientists initially believed him to be a soldier from WW1.
Otzi’s skeletal remains coming out of ice block
For other contemporaneous skeletal remains, osteology is used to examine the aspects of life that person may have experienced. Were they muscular, did they have joint pain, did they have any chronic illnesses? Otzi is a needle in a haystack for this reason. Since the glacier environment preserved his remains so well, archaeologists were able to examine his skin, further illuminating the lives of the people during the Copper Age.
Otzi is believed to have been ~45 years old when he was murdered, with a short stature at around 5’2’’ with a sporty figure. It is theorized he passed in the summer. Otzi was originally thought to have 61 tattoos, which is now argued to be closer to 57. Unlike modern tattoos that involve repetitive poking with a needle, Otzi’s tattoos were tiny incisions that were traced with charcoal. The leading theory is that these tattoos were a part of a medicinal treatment, like acupuncture. Most of his tattoos kind of look like tally marks, and sit on heavily used areas of the body i.e joints. Radiological images of the tattoo sites show degeneration furthering the theory that these markings served a medicinal purpose. Acupuncture was first recorded in China around 4000 years ago, which makes Otzi’s practice either a precedecory to traditional Chinese acupuncture, or is evidence of very early global travel and traded practices. A modern man replicated Otzi’s tattoos and did find some pain relief.
A grid of some Otzi tattoos
These tattoos tell us that Otzi was probably experiencing joint pain, but was well cared for. It is potential evidence that someone went through training, or some sort of education to achieve the anatomical knowledge and benefits of acupuncture and tattooing. Tattoos are little wounds that have a high risk of infection if not cared for or executed properly. Given the depth and the boldness of the lines, it is thought that he recieved treatment many times and therefore needed knowledge of how to protect wounds from infection. Otzi’s belongings provide more insight.
Otzi’s grass cape
Otzi’s clothes and belongings were preserved along with him. Among his stone tools he had a rare copper axe, which historically comes from Asia. Interestingly, Otzi had plants on him. Two of which being bog moss, and birch polypore fungus. Both of these have been used to calm inflammation and prevent infection. We also know he had bracken fern in his belly, which is now known to treat tapeworm. So maybe Otzi was fighting off a stomach bug.
Otzi’s Birch Fungus
Otzi’s copper axe
Since Otzi’s stomach contents were pre-digestion, it is evidence that he had eaten close to his death, which brings us to his cause of death. Otzi was murdered by being shot in the back. Detective Chief Inspector Alexander Horn of Munich was given this 5300 year old cold case and provided further insight. He stated that Otzi’s remains were in better condition than some of the 20-30 year old cases he works.
Horn suggests that because he had food in his belly, he was probably eating or had just finished eating when he was shot. Horn theorizes that Otzi was shot at a distance of up to 100 ft. Otzi was carrying a bow, which was not in an active position, therefore Horn suggests that this was a surprise attack and Otzi did not have time to prepare his bow or fight back. Evidence that further suggests this theory is a lack of defensive wounds. Horn believes, due to Otzi’s stomach contents, that he was relaxing after a big lunch when he was shot in the back. Other investigators postulate a blow to the head contributed to his death.
The Alps where Otzi got his name and passed away.
As mentioned earlier, Otzi had a rare copper axe and his valuable tools on him, therefore Horn suggests robbery was not the intent of this murder, but rather a personal feud. Otzi’s death is suspected to have been quick, but certainly painful.
Otzi’s remains provide incredible insight to the lives and knowledge of the Copper Age. They also present more questions and speculation. Otzi is not here to tell us exactly what kind of man he was, or what his community was like, or why he has tattoos. All the information we have is what Otzi had on him, and because he is truly one of a kind, we cannot cross-compare findings. All findings are thoroughly researched and formulated into highly educated theories, until another piece of evidence, contrary or otherwise, presents itself.
You can go visit Otzi who now lives in a museum in a special freezer that replicates the conditions of the glacier that held him for thousands of years. You can even get a chocolate shaped Otzi.
If you made it this far, I appreciate you! Thanks for reading the first post in the Anthropology and Tattoos series. Your tattoos last longer than you and connect you to an global and ancient practice. Love your body and love your tattoos! RIP Otzi!
SOURCES:
Otzi the Iceman
What Otzi the Iceman Tattoos Reveal About Copper Age Medical Practices
Acupuncture for the Iceman: Did Otzi get inked for health?
5300 Year Old Otzi Iceman Yields Oldest Known Human Blood
Acupuncture: The historical basis and its US Practices
Who Killed Oetzi the Iceman? Italy Reopens Coldest of Cases
Otzi Experiment: Colin Dale recreates ancient medicinal tattoos
