The reconstruction of the last itinerary of “Ötzi”, the Neolithic Iceman, by pollen analyses from sequentially sampled gut extracts

Mid and late Holocene land-use changes in the Ötztal Alps, territory of the Neolithic Iceman “Ötzi”

“…The only evidence testifying to human interest for the high mountains in the study area is the archaeological finding of the Neolithic Iceman mummy (3320e3050 cal BC). The fact that the Iceman walked through the Schnals valley and the Tisen valley on his way up to the Similaun glacier (Oeggl et al, 2007) proves that the high altitudes of the Vinschgau were frequented by humans since the Copper Age. However, the reason of his visit cannot be determined.…”

“…Regrettably, any archaeological evidence for this assumption is so far missing. On the contrary, archaeological traces of human occupations had been found for that period in the Vinschgau valley (Italy), which has been demonstrated to be the Iceman's territory Oeggl et al, 2007;Festi et al, 2011).…”

The iceman as a burial

“…Oeggl (2003) is the only one, so far, to propose that body and objects were moved by natural processes. Yet, he never questioned the scientific and popular version of the killing at the Tisenjoch site (Oeggl et al 2007;. Only two authors have proposed a different interpretation of the context: as the scene of a burial involving the ritual positioning of the goods around the basin or as the result of killing or self-immolation by exposure (Teržan 1994).…”

“…Isotopic dietary indicators (Macko et al 1999), cereal pollen and grains (Groenman-Van Wateringe 1993) and the iceman's well-preserved last meal, when he also ingested fragments of grinding stones and ceramic particles (Oeggl 1999;Rollo et al 2002;Oeggl et al 2007), all place him in an agricultural community. In his last days he was roaming at different altitudes in springtime, as suggested by the variety of the pollen still in his gut (Oeggl et al 2007). This detailed pollen analysis suggests April as the most probable month for his last meal fig.…”

Oral pathologies of the Neolithic Iceman, c.3,300 bc

“…Amongst others, isotope analyses have shown that the Iceman grew up and lived the last years before his death in different valleys in the southern part of the Alps . Paleobotanical and pollen analyses have given insights into his nutrition, his last itinerary, and the season of his death . Detailed radiological analyses demonstrated the presence of healed rib fractures, degenerative arthritis, vascular calcification, and the presence of an arrowhead in his left shoulder .…”