26 MAY/JUNE 2019ANCIENT INK
For many years, only about 30 tattoos had been
identified on Ötzi’s body, but in 2015 this figure
doubled after multispectral photography revealed
many more. The two images (right) indicate their
positions on the mummy.4
SOUTH TYROL MUSEUM OF ARCHAEOLOGY/EURAC/SAMADELLIA
side from the fatal injuries on Ötzi’s body,
he appeared to be in good health before
he died. Living until his mid-40s, he had
reached a relatively advanced age for
his time, and his body bore the signs of a life-
time of medical care.
the iceman’s joints show that he likely suf-
fered from arthritis and back pain. Scholars
found tattoos on Ötzi’s skin, clustered in areas
where he might have experienced symptoms. In
2015 new scans of the body mapped 61 tattoos
across Ötzi’s body. Nearly all of them have been
found on, or near, the joints or the lower back. The
tattoos were drawn by making small cuts in the skin
and injecting charcoal for the design. Some studies
have found that the tattoos were related to an early
form of acupuncture. Most are groups of horizontal
or vertical lines, but there are also two crosses. Two
groups of lines appear on the chest, perhaps in an
attempt to alleviate his cardiac condition (arterio-
sclerosis).
ötzi’s body and analysis of his belongings also
yielded medical insights. Among the objects found
near his body was a fungus, Fomitopsis betulina,
known for its antibacterial properties. Traces of
bracken fern were also found in his stomach, which
was used to treat intestinal parasites. All of the evi-
dence supports the notion that medical care was an
important part of the Iceman’s culture.THE VICTIM’S
CONDITION
COPPER AGE MEDICINET_10T_14T_01T_02T_12T_06T_15