The Iceman: Discovery and Imaging

Abstract

The anatomic features of a 5,300-year-old mummy, the iceman, were documented with conventional radiographic, portable computed radiographic, and conventional and spiral computed tomographic images obtained between September 1991 and June 2001. A team of scientists and radiologists from Austria, Italy, and the United States supervised the examinations and interpreted the images. The images demonstrated excellent preservation of the mineralized skeleton with profound dehydration of the soft tissues. The skeleton exhibited several types of trauma, including (a) healed rib fractures, (b) hairline skull fractures and a compression deformity of the thorax, probably acquired while encased in the glacier, and (c) damage acquired during the effort to recover the corpse. Skeletal variants were present, as was evidence of degenerative arthritis, frostbite, vascular calcification, and adaptation to cultural and geographic influences. In terms of anatomy and apparent health-related conditions, the iceman was very similar to modern humans. An arrowhead lodged between the rib cage and the left scapula was the probable cause of the iceman's death. Study of the images also provided insight regarding postmortem processes that led to the iceman's mummification.

New insights into the Tyrolean Iceman's origin and phenotype as inferred by whole-genome sequencing

“…The Tyrolean Iceman, a 5,300-yearold Copper age individual, is now conserved at the Archaeological Museum in Bolzano, Italy, together with an array of accompanying artefacts. An arrowhead lodged within the soft tissue of the left shoulder, having caused substantial damage to the left subclavian artery, indicated a violent death 1 . Speculations on his origin, his life habits and the circumstances surrounding his demise initiated a variety of morphological, biochemical and molecular analyses.…”

Evolution of the human lifespan and diseases of aging: Roles of infection, inflammation, and nutrition

“…Nonetheless, there are indications of arterial diseases in early historical human populations. For arterial disease, the oldest case is the Tyrolean iceman from 5,300 years ago, who died accidentally at about age 45; CT imaging showed calcification of both carotid arteries and portions of aorta and iliac artery (33). Arterial disease was also described for Egyptian mummies from 3,500 years ago (18th Dynasty; n = 24) (34, 35): 67% of large arteries were atherosclerotic; of these, 50% were calcified.…”

Paleonutrition-Salvation or Fantasy?

“…In this regard, it might be important to note that signs of arteriosclerotic changes were found in Iceman Ötzi who lived app. 5,300 AD and died at 45 years of age [18]. Similar changes can be found in today's Inuit in Alaska [19], therefore so called "lifestyle diseases" are not fully a current problem.…”