Genome Study Reveals That Iceman Ötzi Had Dark Skin and Male Pattern Baldness

Heritage Daily ^ | August 16, 2023 | Markus Milligan

[SunkenCiv]

Ötzi, Also Known as the Iceman, is a Naturally Mummified Human Who Lived Between 3350 and 3105 BC... discovered in 1991 by German tourists in the Ötztal Alps (hence earning the moniker "Ötzi"). His remains stand as the earliest naturally mummified human discovered in Europe, providing unique insights into the lives of Chalcolithic (Copper Age) communities on the continent.

In 2001, X-rays and a CT scan revealed that Ötzi had an arrowhead lodged in his left shoulder, prompting the suggestion that Ötzi was murdered and died of blood loss and from other wounds. However, the nature of his life and the circumstances of his death are the subject of much investigation and ongoing speculation.

In a recent study published in the journal Cell Genomics, researchers have generated a high-coverage genome to learn more about Ötzi’s genetic history, revealing that he had dark skin, dark eyes, and a balding head.

"The genome analysis revealed phenotypic traits such as high skin pigmentation, dark eye colour, and male pattern baldness that are in stark contrast to the previous reconstructions that show a light skinned, light eyed, and quite hairy male," said Johannes Krause from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Germany. "The mummy itself, however, is dark and has no hair."

The findings also indicate that the Ötzi’s appearance closely resembled his current mummified state. Additionally, a more comprehensive and refined genome analysis highlights that Ötzi possessed a remarkably elevated proportion of early Anatolian farmer ancestry, surpassing that of any other concurrent European population during the 4th millennium BC. This revelation implies that Ötzi was a member of a relatively secluded Alpine community, characterised by limited genetic exchange with hunter-gatherer societies...

[SunkenCiv]

Image Credit : EURC – Marco Samadelli-Gregor

[SunkenCiv]

[FlingWingFlyer]

“Dark Skin”. Great. I guess the U.S. taxpayers are going to owe that guy “reparations” also.

[Reily]

Of course would there be any other color of skin a new study would reveal? I could have told the result before they completed the study!

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

Years ago I read an article about Abraham Lincoln. Before they encased him in cement they put the body on display one last time. They found his skin had turned black and had to rub chalk on his face to make him look “normal”.
Maybe that is what happened to Otzi.

[Varda]

Genome means DNA. He had DNA for dark skin. It doesn’t change with death.

[PIF]

Ötzi turns out to be just another feral.

[gleeaikin]

I seem to recall that some years ago you posted an article about a DNA study of 10,000 year old British bodies that also had dark skin. In that case I remember thinking, OK, they could survive because they got Vitamin D from seafood. I suppose Otzi survived because he did not wear much cloting in the warmer seasons.

[ComputerGuy]

Interesting.

[Tax-chick]

The hunter-gatherer diet in general was higher in Vitamin D than the diet of agriculturalists. It is theorized that farming populations in northern Europe quickly selected for lighter skin when their dietary Vitamin D declined.

[gleeaikin]

Apparently male preference for blond, full hipped, and full breasted women is a genetically guided impulse which favors successful childbearing. Light/blond or red headed coloring to favor Vitamin D absorbtion from skin, full hips to indicate a wide pelvic girdle to ease childbirth, and full breasts to feed the young. The full hips, of course, made possible by the effect of Vitamin D on bone formation. As many as 40% of people in the more northern parts of Great Britain and Ireland have what is called the “ginger gene” which results in readheads, this may have come from Neanderthals who survived in cold northern continental climates. I was married to one, and he had a number of characteristics of Neanderthals, I suspect more than the 2 to 4% suggested for most Europeans.

[SunkenCiv]

The rest of the keyword, sorted:

• Iceman Reborn: A 5,000-Year-Old Murder Mystery [02/04/2024]
• New research on 5300-year-old Ötzi suggests there could be more ice mummies out there [11/12/2022]
• Scientists reconstruct Ötzi the Iceman's frantic final climb [07/30/2021]
• Who Was The The Mysterious Lady Of Bietikow And What Had She In Common With Ötzi Iceman? [11/07/2020]
• Study Backs 5th-Century Historian's Date for Founding of Armenia [08/15/2020]
• Timothy Hutton Accused of Raping 14-Year-Old Girl in 1983 (Report) [03/02/2020]
• Alongside Otzi the Iceman: a bounty of ancient mosses and liverworts [11/03/2019]
• Otzi the Iceman's tools tell a story of desperation [04/08/2019]
• What Otzi the Iceman's Tattoos Reveal About Copper Age Medical Practices [09/21/2018]
• Salt of the Alps: ancient Austrian mine holds Bronze Age secrets [08/24/2018]
• Ancient 'Iceman' shows signs of a well-balanced last meal [07/12/2018]
• Otzi the iceman really was killed by an ARROW: Europe's oldest mummy (tr) [01/05/2018]
• The Iceman's Stomach Bugs Offer Clues to Ancient Human Migration [01/07/2016]
• New study of Iceman reveals oldest known example of red blood cells [05/09/2015]
• 'X-Men' Character Comes Out as Gay in New Comic [04/21/2015]
• Anthropologists Have Mapped All 61 Tattoos On Ötzi The Iceman [01/29/2015]
• Scan finds new tattoos on 5300-year-old Iceman [01/24/2015]
• Ötzi's non-human DNA: Opportunistic pathogen discovered in Iceman tissue biopsy [07/27/2014]
• Chalcolithic catastrophe on the Mondsee [07/15/2014]
• Positioning the Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) Hunted by the Tyrolean Iceman... [07/15/2014]
• Two unknown soldiers (discovered in the Presena Glacier in the Italian Alps) [10/19/2013]
• Scientists say Ötzi the Iceman has living relatives, 5,300 years later [10/16/2013]
• Living Relatives Of Iceman Mummy Found (Ötzi, 5,300 Years Old) [10/14/2013]
• Supporter (Cook County Commissioner Jerry "Iceman" Butler) Sends Jackson Jr. Letter to Wrong Judge [05/19/2013]
• Otzi's Neandertal ancestry [05/18/2013]
• Iceman Mummy Finds His Closest Relatives [11/11/2012]
• Massive Gold Trove Sparks Archeological Dispute [06/21/2012]
• Otzi the Iceman: scientists find 5,000-year-old blood sample [05/03/2012]
• Ötzi the ice mummy's secrets found in DNA [02/29/2012]
• Ice Mummy May Have Smashed Eye in Fall [12/05/2011]
• Iceman Autopsy [10/29/2011]
• Iceman stories begin arriving! [10/18/2011]
• Iceman's 'Girlfriend' Found [ Lady of Introd ] [07/25/2011]
• Iceman's Stomach Sampled -- Filled With Goat Meat [06/28/2011]
• Scientists finally determine iceman Otzi's last meal [Ice Man] [06/22/2011]
• The Iceman's Last Meal [06/20/2011]
• Federal Grand Jury Investigates War Crimes and Torture in Death of 'the Iceman' at Abu Ghraib [06/13/2011]
• Artists Recreate the Face Otzi, a 5,300-Year-Old Iceman Mummy [02/25/2011]
• Iceman Oetzi gets a new face for 20th anniversary [02/21/2011]
• Oetzi, the Iceman, was ceremonially buried: archaeologist [08/27/2010]
• Otzi's secrets about to be revealed [07/27/2010]
• Nanostructure of 5,000-year-old mummy skin reveals insight into mummification process [Oetzi] [04/22/2010]
• Ã -- tzi the iceman: Up close and personal [06/06/2009]
• Pile village fortification found on Lake Biel [3,200 BC] [05/15/2009]
• Ex-Rezko partner bankrupt [02/16/2009]
• Doctors prove that the Iceman was shot to death in the Alps [ Oetzi ] [01/28/2009]
• Iceman Oetzi's Last Supper [12/01/2008]
• Scientists believe 5,300-year-old mummified 'ice man' belonged to unknown branch of human fam. tree [10/31/2008]
• Ancient iceman probably has no modern relatives [10/30/2008]
• Prehistoric Disaster: An Alpine Pompeii from the Stone Age [10/11/2008]
• BBC: 'Saddam's deputy' in anti-US call (Izzat Ibrahim al-Duri) [07/15/2008]
• Iceman's DNA Linked To Coastal Aboriginals (Canada) [04/26/2008]
• Saddam Hussein's Ally Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri 'Captured' In Iraq [04/23/2008]
• Alpine Guardians Try To Put Treasures On Ice [04/17/2008]
• Scientists Tantalize With 'Iceman' Findings (Canada) [04/04/2008]
• Bush to nominate acting FAA chief to be administrator [10/24/2007]
• Researcher's Say Italy's 5,000-Year-Old Iceman Died From Head Trauma, Not Arrow (Oetzi) [08/29/2007]
• Scientists say 'Iceman' died from arrow [06/07/2007]
• Eielson welcomes home deployed Airmen (Alaska) [03/13/2007]
• Dutch "Iceman" to climb Everest in shorts [03/07/2007]
• Tattoos - The Ancient And Mysterious History [01/03/2007]
• Alpine ice man may have been childless outcast [02/03/2006]
• Infertility link in iceman's DNA [02/03/2006]
• Death Renews Iceman 'Curse' Claim (Oetzi) [11/05/2005]
• 'Iceman' (Oetzi) Might Be Contaminated [06/14/2005]
• Theory: Iceman Oetzi Wore High-Tech Shoes [03/02/2005]
• Alpine Iceman (Oetzi) Reveals Stone Age Secrets [02/17/2005]
• 'Iceman' discoverer joins his find in Alpine grave [10/23/2004]
• Finder of Tyrol "Iceman" missing in Alps [10/18/2004]
• Once welcomed, Boston archbishop now sees goodwill evaporate with parish closings [09/27/2004]
• Hillary wild over Bill's new blond? (Paper claims Canadian conservative "friendly" with Bubba) [02/07/2004]
• After 5,000 Years, the Mystery Of Fritz Just Won't End [02/03/2004]
• Iceman (Oetzi) Discoverer Claims Reward [12/22/2003]
• Was Ancient Alpine "Iceman" Killed in Battle? [11/02/2003]
• Iceman's bones lead scientists to his home turf [10/31/2003]
• Iceman Found in Italy Didn't Wander Far [10/30/2003]
• Italy's 5,000-Year-Old Iceman Put Up a Fight [DNA of 4 foes, venison and ibex his final meal] [08/14/2003]
• DNA reveals how the Italian Iceman went down fighting [08/12/2003]
• 'Iceman' was murdered, science sleuths say [08/12/2003]
• ZOT: Don't Kill Our Hero [05/08/2003]
• Secrets Of A Stone Age Rambo (Otzi, The Iceman) [05/05/2003]
• Dozens of women want Bronze Age hunter's babies [04/25/2003]