Gaby
Ötzi, or the Iceman, is the most famous ice mummy in the world, dating back to the late Neolithic period. However, recent research has revealed that the Ice Man looked nothing like what was previously imagined. The use of modern technology has helped dispel misconceptions about Ötzi’s appearance.
What the Ice Man really looked like. Etcy?
In 1991, tourists stumbled upon the remains of Ötzi, a 5,300-year-old mummy, in the Alps near the Italian-Austrian border. The natural conditions of the mountains created a true cryo-center, where the frozen body was able to preserve remarkably well, making it a constant source of scientific research.
Researchers have already been able to learn details about Ötzi’s health and habits during his lifetime, including hardened arteries, tattoos, and the last meal of the man from the late Neolithic period. Additionally, it is known that at the time of his death, there was an arrow in the back of the Ice Man, which could potentially have been the cause of his demise.
A new study has now shown that the skin color of the Etruscans may have been darker than previously thought. It could potentially have been one of the darkest among their European contemporaries.
One of the main authors of the study, anthropologist Albert Zink, notes that it was previously believed that the skin of the Ötzi mummy darkened during its storage in ice. However, according to the researcher, it seems that it is actually the original color of the Ice Man’s skin.
In addition, as noted by the publication Interestingengineering The research dispels misconceptions about Ötzi’s hair. Contrary to popular belief, the mature man had at most sparse hair with genes indicating a predisposition to baldness. This finding may clarify why the mummy of Ötzi was found with a minimal amount of hair.
In addition to its appearance, the genome of the Ice Man indicates health risks such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. Despite this genetic predisposition, the authors of the study suggest that the man’s healthy lifestyle may have mitigated these factors.
Misconceptions about the origin of the Etci
The genetic makeup of modern Europeans resembles a mosaic made up of three main ancestral groups. These include Western hunter-gatherers, early Anatolian farmers who migrated around 8000 years ago, and steppe herders from Eastern Europe who joined this mix around 4900 years ago.
The initial genetic analysis of the genome of the Ice Mummy Ötzi revealed traces of steppe herders. However, refined results from a new study call this view into question due to the detection of contamination of the original sample with modern DNA.
After that research, technological leaps in sequencing and a surge of fully decoded genomes of prehistoric Europeans changed the landscape of knowledge. This allowed researchers to compare the genetic code of Ötzi with the genetic code of his contemporaries.
According to the findings of the latest research, the Ice Man came from a relatively isolated population with minimal interaction with other European groups. Surprisingly, there were also no traces of Eastern European steppe herders in Ötzi’s genome, and his share of hunter-gatherer genes is extremely low.
As co-author Johannes Krause explains, the genetic ancestors of Ötzi seem to have arrived directly from Anatolia and did not mix with groups of hunter-gatherers. This new research not only changes our perception of Ötzi’s physical traits but also highlights the incredible role that modern technologies play in enhancing our understanding of the past.
