14 DAY TRIAL // Ötzi the Iceman's death was most likely not an accidental one, researchers say. Apparently, Ötzi was ambushed, shot with an arrow and hit in the head.
The brain damage caused by the head blow was probably what killed him, new evidence suggests.
Scientists with the European Academy of Bolzano/Bozen say that an analysis of brain tissue samples collected from his body has revealed that Ötzi suffered the blow to his head just minutes before dying.
As far as the researchers can tell, the blow was strong enough to send his brain all the way to the back of his skull.
The force of the impact is believed to have been great enough to cause considerable brain damage.
This theory is backed up by CAT scans showing several dark spots at the back of his brain, Alpha Galileo Foundation reports.
Writing in the journal Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, the scientists detail how, when analyzing the brain tissue samples, they came across clotted blood cells, which they believe are an indicator of brain trauma.
“Investigating mummified tissue can be very frustrating. The samples are often damaged or contaminated and do not necessarily yield results, even after several attempts and using a variety of investigative methods.”
“When you think that we have succeeded in identifying actual tissue changes in a human who lived over 5,000 years ago, you can begin to understand how pleased we are as scientists that we persisted with our research after many unsuccessful attempts. It has definitely proved worthwhile!” researcher Andreas Thole commented on these findings.
Sources say that, for the time being at least, the researchers are not sure whether Ötzi the Iceman did in fact got hit in the head or if perhaps he merely injured himself when he fell to the ground after being shot with the arrow.
Ötzi the Iceman is said to have lived some 5,300 years ago. He was discovered by some hikers in the Italian Alps in 1991.
Since then, scientists have determined that the wound in his back had been caused by an arrow, and that he did not get the chance to digest his last meal before dying.
These findings support the idea that he was attacked and murdered.
One other investigation has revealed that, at the time of his death, Ötzi the Iceman had really bad teeth and that his breath most likely had a rather foul smell.