Case 4 · Free · Archaeology & science
Ötzi the Iceman: What happened to the Iceman 5,300 years ago?
In the app: “The Man in the Ice”
Ötztal Alps, Italy–Austria border · c. 3300 BC
Why this question matters
Ötzi is one of the best-preserved bodies from Copper Age Europe, found by hikers in the Ötztal Alps in September 1991. Decades of scientific study have revealed his tools, his last meal and an arrowhead hidden in his shoulder. The case shows how far forensic science can go, and where it has to stop.
The case briefing
In 1991 hikers spotted a body in melting ice. It turned out to be a man from the Copper Age. Use the clues to work out how he died, and what we still don't know.
The evidence
The exhibits you examine in this case, labelled by the kind of evidence each one is.
- Made at the timeFound 19 September 1991
The body and his gear
South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology, Bolzano
A naturally mummified man was found at about 3,210 metres with clothing, a bow, arrows and tools. Radiocarbon dating places his life about 5,300 years ago.
- Scientific findingSpotted on X-ray in 2001
The hidden arrowhead
Medical scans of the mummy
A flint arrowhead sits in his left shoulder. Later scans showed it tore a major artery, which would have caused heavy bleeding.
- Made at the timec. 3300 BC
The copper axe
Found with the body
A copper blade on a yew handle. A 2017 study of the copper's lead isotopes linked the metal to ores in central Italy (Tuscany).
- Scientific findingStudies 2000s–2018
His last meal and pollen
Stomach and gut contents
His stomach held ibex meat, einkorn wheat and fat. Pollen of the hop-hornbeam tree, which flowers in spring, suggests he died in spring or early summer.
How the investigation works
After the briefing and exhibits, you complete three steps. Every answer is explained, and the verdict lists the sources.
- 1
Chronology
Put the events back in order, oldest first. BC and AD are handled correctly, and there is no year zero.
- 2
Cause and consequence
Match each clue to the event that best explains it, and only where the evidence supports the link.
- 3
Supported conclusions
Sort claims into supported, going beyond the evidence, or contradicted. Every answer explains why.
What is still unknown
Whether he was attacked at the spot where he died, and the role of the head injury, are still debated.
Sources
- South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology: Ötzi
- Maixner et al. 2018, Current Biology (last meal)
- Artioli et al. 2017, PLOS ONE (copper source)
Case content last checked 2026-10-13. Not reviewed by an independent historian. Found an error? Tell us.
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