Oetzi, the Iceman, was ceremonially buried: archaeologist

PhysOrg ^ | August 26, 2010 | AFP

[SunkenCiv]

The 5,300-year-old "Iceman", may not have died at the site in the Italian Alps where he was found 19 years ago, but was only ceremonially buried there, according to a new theory revealed on Thursday.

Oetzi, the 5,300-year-old "Iceman", may not have died at the site in the Italian Alps where he was found 19 years ago, but was only ceremonially buried there, according to a new theory revealed on Thursday.

Until now, archaeologists thought Oetzi, whose mummified corpse was discovered in a high mountain pass in the Oetztal Alps in 1991, died at that spot from wounds he had sustained in a fight.

But Alessandro Vanzetti from Rome University told the Austrian daily Die Presse he believes the Bronze Age warrior actually died much nearer sea-level, but was then buried months later with full ceremonial honours high up in the mountains.

Vanzetti and his team have been investigating the site at 3,210 metres (10,500 feet) above sea-level for the past five years.

The new theory would explain why some of the weapons discovered alongside the mummy were not ready for use and why so many objects were found next to the body, Vanzetti told the newspaper.

Some of the objects were valuable and would surely have been looted by his murderer if Oetzi had died in a fight at the spot where he was found, the archaeologist continued.

Furthermore, an analysis of his stomach contents had shown that the man died in April, while pollen found at the site indicated the body was buried in August or September.

By that time, the ice would have melted, making an ascent to such a height possible, the archaeologist continued.

[SunkenCiv]

The frozen corpse of the mummified iceman Oetzi, seen in 2007.

[SunkenCiv]

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[Oratam]

Wasn’t a beautifully carved ceremonial bronze hatchet found on him?

[LiteKeeper]

Not hard to believe since he was a descendant of Noah.

[Domestic Church]

So he wasn’t just a warrior...he was at least a warrior king or a Ulysses or Achilles and they returned him to their version of Mt Olympus....sending him back to their version of Zeus. They thought the world of him!

[Flag_This]

"Some of the objects were valuable and would surely have been looted by his murderer if Oetzi had died in a fight at the spot where he was found..."

Not if he was the last man standing.

[blam]

"Wasn’t a beautifully carved ceremonial bronze hatchet found on him?"

It was a copper ax and it's discovery pushed the copper age back by 1,000 years.

Oetzi has DNA haplogroup 'K', same as Thomas Jefferson.

[taxtruth]

Funny,but none of these people were there to see so it’s really a theory is what they really mean.

[bigheadfred]

How do you keep a dead body fresh from April to August in 3,300 B.C.? Cause these guys never sleep...

Although I have heard "There is a class of blue-green algae which are often called cyanobacteria which have very strong circadian rhythms." But I doubt they take April to August off.

Now if they found this guy with him...

[Battle Axe]

I don’t think a ceremonial burial would have laid him out in the position they found him in.

True, the murderer could have taken the possessions, but what if the other guy also died. The Ice Man was left alive, but barely, the other guy was in a lower elevation where the ice melted and the wolves carried him off.

Lots more possibilities that this article suggests.

BA

[Verginius Rufus]

Interesting theory by Vanzetti. What does Sacco think?

[TigersEye]

That's an interesting theory but not supported by much evidence. I've wondered about his possessions still being there too but a lot of things could have prevented his attacker from retrieving them.

The strongest thing they have is the pollen at the site in contrast with the pollen in his gut. How certain are they that the on site pollen coincides with his collapse or placement there? There have been 5,300 years of seasonal pollens since then.

[SunkenCiv]

:’) For being dead for thousands of years, he certainly has been influential. He’s had more impact having died than having been alive. ;’)

[SunkenCiv]

He’s wishing his last name could have been Marx?

[SunkenCiv]

I love it when he kicks into “Michigan Rag”.

[BenLurkin]

I’m surprised they didn’t send him on a world tour.

[TigersEye]

He is the one we’ve been waiting for! ;^)

[colorado tanker]

Was Oetzi embalmed? If not, he’d get seriously ripe hauling him up there from the lowlands.