Ice mummy “Otzi”: searching for a new way to preserve it

For more than 5,300 years, Ötzi has remained under snow and ice at an altitude of 3,210 metres. The body, clothing and equipment are almost perfectly preserved. “This has of course allowed completely new insights,” says Munich anthropologist Albert Zink. He heads mummy research at the Urac Institute in Bolzano.

Ötzi, the “Iceman”, has been stored in the Museum of Archeology in Bolzano since the late 1990s. The method of preservation also dates back to this time. It takes a lot of effort to keep it hydrated and cool: at -6 degrees Celsius and nearly 100 percent humidity – conditions similar to where it was found in the ice.

Wanted: A new way to save Ötzi

However, the mummy is constantly losing water. That is why it is sprayed with sterile water every two months. The layer of ice that forms aims to protect the body from dehydration. The problem, according to Albert Zink: “You have to interact with the mummy over and over again, and that's always a definite danger.”

So Albert Zink and curator Marco Samadelli of EURAC Research are searching for a better method of preservation. The idea: Instead of keeping the mummy permanently cold and wet as before, it should be moved to a dry state. Instead of being stored in a cold room, it can then be stored in a display case and visitors can take a closer look at it. The air pressure, temperature and humidity in the display case remained stable and external intervention was no longer necessary.

A 400-year-old chamois helps researchers

But how can you develop a new method without testing it on the precious mummy? Another coincidence comes to the aid of scientists: in 2019, a mountaineer found a mummified chamois carcass on a glacier. The animal was preserved in the ice for more than 400 years and was only released after the glaciers melted. Perfect search object.

Albert Zink and Marco Samadelli carefully dried chamois samples for more than two years. Through previous studies, the two scientists know the optimal physical and chemical conditions for preserving mummy finds. They first create these conditions in the laboratory and then investigate how different preservation methods affect the genetic material.

Ötzi's DNA must be preserved for future research

The goal is to develop a method that will allow the mummy to be preserved and examined without destroying Ötzi's ancient DNA. Because, as Albert Zinc says: “Who knows what we will be able to discover in 30 years, for example how your immune system works. We know that the organs and the brain are preserved. Maybe at some point there will be a chance to find something we want that I can't Even imagining it right now.”

Delivered just last year New genetic analysis (External link) Surprising findings about the appearance of the Copper Age man: He likely had dark skin and a semi-bald head. His ancestors were mostly farmers from Anatolia. Less than ten percent of its genome comes from European hunter-gatherers. “We now know a lot about Ötzi. What living conditions were like more than 5,300 years ago, his genetic origins, what he looked like. And that he also suffered from many diseases that we would consider diseases of civilization today, such as vascular calcification.”

Melting glaciers will release more impacts

The project on the new preservation method is still in its early stages. But within two or three years, all participants hope to reach reliable results. The scientists then want to be able to make a recommendation for the museum in Bolzano.

This is not only about Ötzi, but also about preserving other finds from the ice for future research. Opportunities for archaeological discoveries are increasing due to climate-related melting of ice. It is important to hurry because if the ice melts, sensitive monuments may be quickly destroyed.

Video: Glacier Archeology · Searching for clues in glacial highlands