OETZI, THE ICEMAN'S LAST DINNER IN THE SOUTH TYROL

The Grandma & Joseph in the University of Barcelona

Today, The Grandma has had an intensive day. 

In the morning, she has revised Chapter 22 of Intermediate Language Practice.

In the afternoon, she has had lunch with her friend Joseph de Ca'th Lon, who is in Barcelona to assist to a conference about Oetzi, The Iceman, in the University of Barcelona. Joseph has invited The Grandma to go to there and listen to the last news about this incredible an ancient man.

More info: Reason and Result I & II

The conference is about the last dinner of Oetzi, The Iceman who was found in a remote area of the Oetztaler Alps in northern Italy in 1991. Joseph, who is a great expert in anthropology, wants to explains the conclusions of this interesting conference.

He probably didn’t know it was going to be his last meal, but Oetzi The Iceman’s final feast was filled with fatty goodness.

That’s according to a study that reconstructed what was in the 5,300-year-old European glacier mummy’s stomach when he died.

The Iceman’s body was preserved in ice until it was discovered by a couple hiking in the North Italian Alps in 1991. Since then, scientists have learned many things about his life from the clothes he wore and the weapons he used.

More information: Cold Case. Who killed Oetzi, The Iceman?

A radiological re-examination of The Iceman showed that he had a completely full stomach when he died. He had a well-balanced last supper, including carbohydrates, proteins and lipids, perfect for high-altitude trekking, according to the study.

Oetzi, The Iceman

The study showed a remarkably high proportion of fat in his diet, as well as wild meat, cereals and traces of toxic bracken. Frank Maixner, lead author and microbiologist at the Institute for Mummy Studies in Italy, said the meat was likely uncooked and dried.

Maixner said they were lucky that so much of what was in Oetzi’s stomach was preserved, and he was surprised to see that the content was around 40 percent fat.

I think it’s a fascinating finding, he said. The pure fascination of what is left, what you can still recognize.

More information: National Geographic

The study says that though researchers have looked at major dietary changes during the Neolithic period before, this study may be the first to provide insight into how and what people ate daily.

Justyna Miszkiewicz, a lecturer in biological anthropology at The Australian National University, said it’s really rare for a set of human remains to be so well preserved that scientists can retrieve biomolecules from its stomach.

These findings are of huge importance to the study of the past of humanity as they let us understand that the Iceman made good use of fat, meat, and cereals in a cold and high-altitude environment, testament to the adaptability of the human species, she said.

She added that the study also shows just how much has advanced in terms of scientific approaches to studying ancient people.

Finally, Joseph and The Grandma have gone to have dinner in one of the best restaurants of the city: Terra d'Escudella.

More information: National Geographic

Anthropology demands the open-mindedness 

with which one must look and listen, record 

in astonishment and wonder 

that which one would not have been able to guess. 

Margaret Mead

COLD CASE: WHO KILLED OETZI THE ICEMAN?

Oetzi, the Iceman

Joseph de Ca'th Lon is in the South Tyrol enjoying beautiful landscapes, nice people and discovering the mystery of Oetzi, the Iceman. Joseph is reading an interesting article which has been written by BBC. He wants to share it with us...

High in a remote area of the Oetztaler Alps in northern Italy, 5,300 years ago, Oetzi the Iceman was shot in the back with an arrow. It hit a main artery and he probably bled to death within minutes. His body was preserved in the ice, making him one of the oldest and best-preserved mummies on Earth.

Oetzi was first discovered in 1991 and scientists discovered the flint arrowhead lodged in his shoulder 10 years later. But only in recent months have investigators, led by a senior police detective, focused more intently on how Oetzi was shot.

Was it murder? And who might have killed him?

Angelika Fleckinger, director of the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology, where Oetzi's body is on display, called on a professional to investigate. He is Detective Chief Inspector Alexander Horn of the Munich Police Department, who is also head of behavioural analysis with the Bavarian police.

He admits to being slightly taken aback at the request.

More information: BBC

It was a funny situation, because when I was asked by the director if I work on cold cases, I said 'yes, I do', Inspector Horn said.

Oetzi's clothes

But this case was colder than most. 

The usual cold case that we have is 20 or maybe 30 years old, and now I was asked to work on a case 5,300 years old, he said.

Initially, Inspector Horn did not think he could help.

I thought that probably the body would be in a bad condition. But what I learnt very soon was that it was in perfect condition. It's even in a better condition than some of the bodies I am working on nowadays.

As well as visiting the scene of the crime high in the Alps, the inspector was able to draw on the extensive research done on Oetzi over the last 25 years, which includes detailed analysis of his stomach contents and the injuries on his body. Both were to prove key to Inspector Horn's theories.

It looks a lot like a murder, he says.

The killer seems to have caught Oetzi by surprise.

More information: BBC

Oetzi was shot probably from quite a distance, about 30m (100 ft), which is not a close-contact killing; it's a distance killing.

Inspector Horn says Oetzi seems to have been quite relaxed up on the glacier just before he was shot. His own bow wasn't ready for use.

Joseph de Ca'th Lon in the Otzi Memorial

About half an hour before he was killed, he was having a rest up there. He was having quite a heavy lunch or meal at least, so it doesn't seem like he was in a rush or fleeing from something.

Another crucial clue came from the injury on Oetzi's right hand, a wound he received one or two days before his death, probably during a fight.

That injury was something we would define as a classic active defence wound. That would be like if somebody... threatens you with an knife and he stabs you, if you grab into the knife and... try to push it away.

Oetzi did not suffer other defence injuries, so Inspector Horn believes he won the initial fight - which possibly took place down in the valley.

What we think… is that the killing up on the glacier is probably the continuation of this fight that happened about one-and-a-half days before.

More information: BBC

Knowing that he was unlikely to win in hand-to-hand combat, Oetzi's killer probably stealthily followed him up the mountain and shot him.

Joseph de Ca'th Lon in the South Tyrol Museum

The glacier is a very remote area and probably not a place where you would randomly run into each other, Alexander Horn says.

But who was the offender and what were his motives?

Inspector Horn says the offender didn't steal Oetzi's valuable copper blade axe and other gear, so it is unlikely to have been a crime for profit. He speculates that it was probably due to some strong personal emotion.

If there was hate, if it was jealousy, if it was revenge, we will not be able to tell you.

Angelika Fleckinger from the Museum of Archaeology says she is very happy so much progress has been made into the big mystery of Oetzi's death. 

But Inspector Horn says he is still unsatisfied.

I don't think there is a high likelihood we will ever be able to solve that case.

The offender got away with that murder - which I don't like, being in charge of investigations, he said with a wry smile.

I don't like the fact that we have an unsolved homicide there.

One of the few things that can be said for certain about Europe's prehistoric peoples is that they all came from somewhere else. 

Norman Davies