The Iceman of the Italian Alps that was 5,300 years old named Otzi

In 1991 in the Italian Alps a 5,300-year-old "iceman" was discovered surrounded in ice. Scientists at first thought that the iceman they nicknamed "Otzi" was killed by hypothermia from exposure to the snow. Later, they found new evidence that shoved that the iceman might have been murdered.

Scientists initially presumed that because of no obvious physical damages, the iceman had died from extreme weather conditions. This was a good theory at the beginning, but there were some questions including the strange way that one of the iceman's arms was placed. The scientists later doubted that the iceman was caught in a storm and froze to death.

In July 2001, scientists in Italy used a sophisticated X-ray technique to scan the iceman's body. They found an arrowhead beneath the Iceman's upper left shoulder and concluded that he died from this after bleeding extensively.

The first theory was more of a speculation then a good theory, and made sense until newer evidence was found.

THEORY

THEORY

THEORY

The finding of the flint arrowhead in the iceman's shoulder makes the theory of his murder much more likely and is the best theory of how the iceman died.

Bibliography

//www.ping.be/olivier_picard/history/oetzi01.htm

anon. "Death of the Iceman" February 2002 Accessed 9/14/03 http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/horizon/2001/iceman.shtml

Fowler, Brenda. "The Iceman's Last Meal" Nova Online November 2000 Accessed 9/14/03 http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/icemummies/iceman.html

Friend, Tim. "'Iceman' was Murdered, Science Sleuths Say" "Online Posting" USA Today 8/11/2003 Accessed 9/14/03