Etzi is the oldest mummy in Europe

Most often, mummies are associated with Ancient Egypt, occasionally America, but not Europe. Well, today I will tell you about the oldest currently known mummy from Europe. 
Just in case - it's better not to eat while reading this post;)              

Location history
The mummy was discovered by two German tourists in September 1991 in the Alpine Mountains in Tyrol (Italy). The mummy was well preserved due to the fact that it was frozen in ice. The true age of the body was determined only in the morgue of the city of Innsbruck (Austria). 

It is noteworthy that almost immediately disputes began about the ownership of the mummy, as it was found almost on the border of Italy and Austria. After it was completed by scientists at the University of Innsbruck (Austria), it was placed in the South Tyrolean Museum of Archaeology in the city of Bolzano (Italy).

The location of the mummy (marked with a red dot)

Examination of the mummy
The estimated age of the mummy is 5,000 years. That is, Etzi lived around the 3300's BC.

At the time of death, Etzi was approximately 165 cm tall, weighed 50 kg, and aged 45-46 years.
The ice that covered the body immediately after death ensured its relative safety. 

Bran, roots, fruits, as well as meat (presumably chamois and deer) were found in Etzi's stomach and intestines. Most likely, he took food about two hours before his death. 

After examining the proportions of the shin, hip and pelvis, the scientists concluded that Etzi often had to travel for a long time through hilly terrain. As a result, it was assumed that Etzi was a mountain shepherd.
57 tattoos consisting of dots, lines and crosses were found on the body of the mummy. It is noteworthy that they were not made with needles, but by making small incisions, into which charcoal was then poured.

It is also interesting that Etzi is not the ancestor of any modern people.

The appearance of the mummy (it's just a mummy, not a mutilated body - do not ban:(( )

Clothing, shoes and equipment
Etzi wore a woven straw cloak, as well as leather "coats", a belt, trousers, a loincloth and "moccasins". He also had a bearskin hat and several other items of clothing.

His shoes were wide and waterproof, which allowed him to walk safely in the snow. He also tied soft grass around his feet, which could play the role of a kind of "socks".

A bag with useful things was sewn to the belt: a scraper, a drill bit, flint, a bone awl and a dry mushroom used as tinder.  

Of the equipment Etzi had: a copper axe with a yew handle (the only well-preserved axe of ancient times), a stone knife with an ash handle, a quiver with 14 arrows with bone tips and viburnum and dogwood shafts, as well as a 182-centimeter yew bow, berries and two baskets made of birch bark.

An approximate image of Etzi along with all his equipment

Facts from Etzi's life
Having reached the age of about 45, Etzi was considered one of the oldest in his society. His body showed clear signs of aging: joints were worn out, blood vessels were in the process of calcification. In addition, the 12th pair of ribs was not found, which is a rare anomaly in our time.

Analysis for the presence of metal in the hair structure showed that Etzi's hair contained much less lead than that of modern humans, and, conversely, more arsenic. Etzi may have lived in places where arsenic bronze was processed and copper was mined.

Also, scientists using computed tomography were able to reconstruct the cervical spine of the mummy and measure the larynx and vocal cords. Based on this, Etzi's exemplary voice was recreated.

Circumstances of death
The ancient man was found to have spinal injuries, broken ribs and nose, a frostbitten toe, a damaged right arm, as well as bruises and wounds all over his body.  

The basic theory says that a two-day battle between two communities took place in the mountains. Perhaps Etzi was saving one of his wounded tribesmen, and also fighting off two more enemies (the blood of four people was found, one of them was Etzi himself). It is known that an arrowhead was stuck deep in the shoulder of the mummy, which could not be pulled out during his lifetime. 

It is also unknown whether Etzi died immediately on the "battlefield" or was buried later.

The moment of Etzi's death in the artist's fantasy

Etzi's mummy is an amazing find, which is considered one of the most interesting in recent times. I hope you were interested. 

Thanks for your attention!