Since his discovery on Thursday, September 19, 1991, among the rocks and ice of the Italian Alps, Otzi the "Ice Man" has been providing archaeologists with artifacts of life from the Neolithic Age. Over the course of the fall of 1991 and into the summer of 1992 two archaeological excavations took place across the entire gully where Otzi was found. Luckily for ther archaeologists, the snow and ice of the Alps preserved and protected Otzi and his belongings until his discovery thousands of years later.
Found along with Otzi were many artifacts that have allowed us to learn about daily life in the Copper Age over 5000 years ago. Among his clothing, Otzi had a grass cape or mat, a hide coat, loincloth, bearskip cap, leggings, shoes, belt and pouch. He also carried an axe, dagger, retoucher, bow, quiver, arrows, backpack, net, tools and maybe even medicine. His "first aid kit" contained bich polypore fungus, commonly used as an antiseptic and to fight off internal parasites.
These artifacts have been carefully preserved and stored to protect them drom drying out and being lost forever. They can be studied in detail at the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology here.
Otzi Dig Site
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