Otzi, the Iceman

Our next stop after the Dolomites was to the town of Bolzano to pay a visit to its most famous resident - the 5,300 year old, naturally preserved relic of the late Stone Age who has been named Otzi, the Iceman. (The above photo is what scientist believe he once looked liked.)  He was discovered in 1991 by a couple who were hiking near the Italy/Austria border.  They saw his hand sticking out of the snow which we now know was because of global warming; the snow and ice were melting where it never has and Otzi was discovered. 

Over 5,300 years deep-frozen in ice and snow had preserved not only his body, but his accoutrements and clothing, as well.  The original finds provided revealing insights into a human being's day-to-day life at the end of the late Stone Age. 

We went to the South Tirol Museum of Archaeology to see Otzi.   The actual corpse that can be viewed through a window in his refrigerated cell. (He actually looks like a skeleton)  They have been studying him for 20 years now, more than 500 researchers have worked on him, his clothing and his accoutrements and have profiled him in increasing detail.  It was an excellent museum.  Here are some other images of what they thought he might have looked like:

There were lots of glass cases displaying his incredibly well-preserved clothing and gear which was all very interesting. They know that he was about 45 years old, which was fairly old at that time. He did have several health issues including worn joints, particularly his knees, gallstones, atherosclerosis, advanced gum disease and tooth decay.   He died from being shot by an arrow into his shoulder and a sudden blow to the head.  He had eaten two hours before he died because they could tell his meal was only partially digested.  (He had eaten grain and meat from an ibex, or a type of wild goat in that region)  It was amazing all the interesting facts they have been able to study from his well-preserved body.  It was definitely a worthwhile stop.  The town of Bolzano itself was quite charming and we enjoyed strolling around after visiting the museum.  Being so far north in Italy and close to the border, there was mostly German influence in this town. 

The statue in the center of town at Piazza Walther honors the square's namesake, Walther von der Vogelweide, a 12th-century German poet.  He stood up to the pope in favor of the Holy Roman (German) Emperor and his spunk represents the Germanic pride of this region of Italy.

We took a quick look inside the cathedral with it's glazed-tile roof - typical of the Germanic world.

Inside was mostly Gothic style.

The thing I liked most about this town was all the pastries and lots of giant pretzels. 

For our little coffee break/lunch, I opted for some apple strudel and Bruce got a more sensible sandwich on focaccia bread.

So delicious.  Just thinking about how old Iceman is boggles my mind and so I must make time for a coffee break with strudel. Yes indeed, that hits the spot.