Deposits of different origin in the lungs of the 5,300-year-old Tyrolean Iceman

Abstract

Deposits in the lung of the Late Neolithic Tyrolean Iceman were studied with a combination of different methods of analytical electron microscopy. Numerous anthracotic areas with plentiful inhaled soot particles were found in the lung; these most probably derived from open fires in houses. Between the soot particles tiny mineral crystals (mainly muscovite) were identified, which may indicate that the Tyrolean Iceman lived in a muscoviterich area. Furthermore, illite, quartz, and a plagioclase (andesine), which are also minerals in the crystalline rocks of the Otztal Alps, were found. Additionally, organic material, which may represent inhaled threshing residues, was present in the anthracotic areas. As threshing residues and seeds in husk also were detected in the Iceman's belongings, some kind of rustic occupation seems probable. Outside of the anthracotic areas, vivianite and hydroxyapatite crystals were detected. Because of their separate location, and as vivianite is also described in the Iceman's skin, these minerals seem to have crystallized during his 5,300 years of storage in the high mountains.

The tattoos of the Tyrolean Iceman: a light microscopical, ultrastructural and element analytical study

“…Vivianite was also found in the skin and the lung tissue of the Tyrolean Iceman before ( Van der Velden et al, 1995;Pabst and Hofer, 1998;Tessadri, 2000) and is assumed to have crystallized after the death of the Iceman (Pabst and Hofer, 1998), possibly deriving from contact zones between the body surface and iron-containing rocks. On some locations of the iceman's skin even blue pustules were found (Tiefenbrunner, 1992) which were interpreted as air oxidized vivianite.…”

“…Excrements and bones are rich in phosphates, which may have diffused in the melted ice during the past 5000 years. Also Ca could derive from the excrements and bones of the site (Pabst and Hofer, 1998).…”

Mummies

“…Exposure to agricultural dust has also been described for mummies from the southwestern USA (El-Najjar et al, 1985). Similarly, as noted earlier, detection of various trace metals may point to specific activities such as mining and metal working, as well as migration (e.g., Pabst and Hofer, 1998).…”

Different staining substances were used in decorative and therapeutic tattoos in a 1000-year-old Peruvian mummy

“…Additionally electron diffraction was used to investigate if a particle was amorphous or crystalline. A similar analytical approach has already been applied successfully in a study of deposits in lung tissue of the Tyrolean Iceman (Pabst and Hofer, 1998) …”