Ötzi is said to have lived about 5,300 years ago, his remains were discovered by hikers in the Italian Alps in 1991

Jan 26, 2015 13:13 GMT  ·  By
61 tattoos have so far been documented on the body of Ötzi the Iceman
2 photos
   61 tattoos have so far been documented on the body of Ötzi the Iceman

Well over 2 decades ago, in 1991, a group of hikers exploring the Italian Alps found the mummified remains of a man who lived in the region some 5,300 years back.

Shortly after being discovered, the skeleton, featured in the photos accompanying this article, was entrusted to researchers, who saw fit to nickname this long-lost relative of ours Ötzi the Iceman.

Having carried out all sorts of tests and investigations, specialists found that Ötzi died when about 45 years of age. Besides, they say that he was most likely killed by somebody who shot him with an arrow and even hit him over the head.

What's interesting about this mummy is the fact that, at the time of his death, the Iceman had a total of 61 tattoos adorning his body. Yup, it looks like Ötzi was no stranger to body art. In fact, he very much appreciated it.

Of these tattoos that are still covering the mummy's body, some sit on his ribcage and have only recently been documented using a camera designed to snap images in the ultraviolet, visible, and infrared wavelengths.

The tattoos, described in the Journal of Cultural Heritage, are located on the lower right ribcage and are basically four parallel lines each measuring about 20 to 25 millimeters (approximately 0.78 to 0.98 inches) in length.

It is believed that these tattoos, together with all the other ones thus far documented on the mummy's body, were not inked in just for the fun of it but served medicinal or therapeutic purposes.

Thus, it appears that the majority of the 61 artworks adorning Ötzi the Iceman's body correspond to ancient acupuncture points expected to treat back and abdominal pain, as well as rheumatism.

Ötzi the Iceman lived about 5,300 years ago
Ötzi the Iceman lived about 5,300 years ago

Photo Gallery (2 Images)

61 tattoos have so far been documented on the body of Ötzi the Iceman
Ötzi the Iceman lived about 5,300 years ago
Open gallery