Post-mortem alterations of human lipids — part II: lipid composition of a skin sample from the Iceman

Probing dietary change of the Kwädąy Dän Ts'ìnchį individual, an ancient glacier body from British Columbia: I. Complementary use of marine lipid biomarker and carbon isotope signatures as novel indicators of a marine diet

“…No intact tri-, di-or mono-acylglycerols, which predominate in living tissue lipids, were detected. Rather, even-numbered, straight-chain saturated (C 12:0 FA , 0.8%; C 14:0 FA , 9.0%; C 16:0 FA , 29.4% and C 18:0 FA , 6.2%) and monounsaturated (C 18:1 FA , 6.0%, C 16:1 FA , 0.2%) FAs were detected in abundances consistent with degraded mammalian tissue (Bereuter et al, 1996;Makristathis et al, 2002;Varmuza et al, 2005). The appreciable abundance of C 14:0 FA compared to its low abundance in modern bone (ca.…”

“…However, the contrasting concentrations of the marine-derived components appear to relate to dietary rather than preservational differences. Hydroxy fatty acids appear to be extremely stable and their survivability in even oxic, moist conditions has been demonstrated (Aillaud, 2001;Bereuter et al, 1996;Varmuza et al, 2005). Thus, the lipid compositions of the skin and bone are most likely indicative of the different dietary regimes recorded in each tissue because of their differing turnover rates, i.e.…”

“…''Otzi'', the 5200-year-old Tyrolean Iceman) and more recent corpses deposited in Alpine glaciers and lakes (Bereuter et al, 1996;Varmuza et al, 2005). Molecular analysis of solvent-extractable components from adipocere, skin, muscle and bone samples of glacier corpses have revealed highly diagnostic lipid profiles consistent with degraded products of endogenous tissue fatty acids (FAs), typically being dominated by free FAs and hydroxy FAs (Varmuza et al, 2005).…”

Exploration of anthropological specimens by GC‐MS and chemometrics

“…In this study, lipids were extracted with n-hexane and converted to volatile compounds with etheral diazomethane and N,O-bis-(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide (BSTFA) prior to separation by GC. Using the same extraction and derivatization procedure, the presence of 10-hydroxy stearic acid as one of the markers for adipocere formation in the Iceman's corpse has been shown by GC-MS (Bereuter et al, 1996b). In this study, several transverse layers of the skin from the left pelvic region including corium and subcutaneous fat have been evaluated.…”

The Last Domicile of the Iceman from Hauslabjoch: A Geochemical Approach Using Sr, C and O Isotopes and Trace Element Signatures

“…Analysis of the skin of the Iceman suggests submersion of the Iceman in (cold) water for several months during which transformation of fat into adipocere was the first stage of mummification, and subsequent desiccation the second stage (Bereuter et al, 1996a;Bereuter et al, 1996b…”