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I love all the speculation in this thread so I thought I'd just chime in and say blood from four different people has reportedly been found on his weapons. I be

I love all the speculation in this thread so I thought I'd just chime in and say blood from four different people has reportedly been found on his weapons. I believe both axe and arrow heads. This was on HN a few weeks back but I couldn't find that particular article, instead I found one on NatGeo[1] from 2003 saying the same thing. 1. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/10/1030_031030_icemandeath.html http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/10/1030_031030_...

nickbauman 10y ago
Wow so Otzi was quite the badass, then.
autokad 10y ago
yeah i was surprised they ignored that in the article. I disagree with 'they didn't steal anything because the village would recognize it'. that hasn't stopped much people in present day. they kind of ignore the fact that despite having a kills shot, they didn't go in to make sure he was dead like a zombieland double tap. also, if he had a disabling wound 2 days ago, why wasn't he in the village getting care? i had wondered if he was some sort of serial killer/robber and people were well aware of a killer in the mountains. perhaps they didnt go in closer for fear of some sort of curse or that he might not be dead
- salesguy222 10y ago
  I think in the PBS documentary or something like it on youtube, they found a pretty big cerebral bruise on Otzi. It's possible someone hit him with a rock to finish him off, or he hit his head on a rock when he was reacting to being wounded. It seems that he was used to covering long distances and routinely got into fights. Otzi is probably similar to a cave raider from Oblivion :)
  - fapjacks 10y ago
    I disagree with him being a kind of raider, only because what does everyone do in Oblivion when they murder one of those cave raiders? Loot his corpse of anything valuable. Nobody looted Ötzi's corpse. I found the argument in the article of some kind of domestic incident compelling, especially in light of his valuables not being taken. And I think the "human sacrifice" argument seems like a real stretch.
    - INTPenis 10y ago
      Exactly, the lack of looting is the biggest detail in this case imo. To me it speaks of a panicked crime. Combined with the season, spring or summer, I don't believe the crime was panicked due to bad weather conditions. Maybe it was a very young person taking a revenge shot at him because of something Ötzi had done in the near past.
      - fapjacks 10y ago
        I think so too, INTPenis. With respect to your "young person taking revenge", I would think that a young(er) person would loot the belongings, and that an old(er) person would have the social/intellectual wherewithal not to come back to town carrying the chief's cousin's copper axe. I realize I'm speculating wildly here, though I completely agree that Ötzi not having been looted is the biggest detail.
    - salesguy222 10y ago
      I appreciate your perspective, and that of the commenter below as well! I still think it is possible for Otzi to be a bandit/raider. He did not have a body for agricultural work, and he had clothes designed for surviving harsh (non-domestic climates). My hypothesis is that he probably pissed off a few too many people and his reputation began spreading from town to town possibly. He probably stole food and goods at night and then walked away with his haul to use or sell elsewhere. Eventually, people figured out that they had a bit of a human vulture up in the mountains. When he came down to the village to get some goods and provisions, he was confronted by attackers, wounded, and escaped. He fled high up into the mountains, stopping to eat and rest from his encounter. Someone from the village, followed him, sniped him, and did not loot Otzi. Why? I hypothesize probably because the person viewed Otzi as a nuissance, and viewed himself as more honorable than Otzi. It honestly sounds like some kind of vigilante justice situation, or even a proto police force. Police aren't supposed to loot their kills (but these days they do, and auction off the items ;] )
      - fapjacks 10y ago
        Interesting. I grok what you're saying now and it does make sense. And though I do agree that people do exist who put honor before everything else, we know that kings were buried with the kinds of items that Ötzi had, especially the copper axe. It would have to be some kind of Klingon to put honor before looting that. I totally grok your perspective, though, and I don't think it's unreasonable.
Alex3917 10y ago
> blood from four different people has reportedly been found on his weapons. This article doesn't mention it, but he was also carrying a birch polypore, which is a styptic.
- pvaldes 10y ago
  Is more probable that the polypore would be used as tinder On the other hand, the use of ash wood in the knife is a smart move.
  - Alex3917 10y ago
    He was also carrying a tinder polypore, so it's unlikely the birch polypore was used for tinder.
- INTPenis 10y ago
  That's very cool. 45 years old in good shape in those days must have been a status symbol in itself. 45 years today is pretty wise already but back then I'm sure your average wandering 45 year old knew basic field medical techniques just to stay alive.
  - foldr 10y ago
    Not necessarily. A lot of people died young, which lowered the average lifespan considerably, but once you got through your childhood and teens, your chances of living to an old age were reasonably high.
    - Nomentatus 10y ago
      Actually, take away infant mortality (and maybe even not) and their lifespans exceed ours on average. Agriculture doesn't provide the same level of nutrition, no large groups to spread disease, etc.

nickbauman 10y ago

Wow so Otzi was quite the badass, then.

autokad 10y ago

yeah i was surprised they ignored that in the article. I disagree with 'they didn't steal anything because the village would recognize it'. that hasn't stopped much people in present day. they kind of ignore the fact that despite having a kills shot, they didn't go in to make sure he was dead like a zombieland double tap. also, if he had a disabling wound 2 days ago, why wasn't he in the village getting care? i had wondered if he was some sort of serial killer/robber and people were well aware of a killer in the mountains. perhaps they didnt go in closer for fear of some sort of curse or that he might not be dead

salesguy222 10y ago
I think in the PBS documentary or something like it on youtube, they found a pretty big cerebral bruise on Otzi. It's possible someone hit him with a rock to finish him off, or he hit his head on a rock when he was reacting to being wounded. It seems that he was used to covering long distances and routinely got into fights. Otzi is probably similar to a cave raider from Oblivion :)
- fapjacks 10y ago
  I disagree with him being a kind of raider, only because what does everyone do in Oblivion when they murder one of those cave raiders? Loot his corpse of anything valuable. Nobody looted Ötzi's corpse. I found the argument in the article of some kind of domestic incident compelling, especially in light of his valuables not being taken. And I think the "human sacrifice" argument seems like a real stretch.
  - INTPenis 10y ago
    Exactly, the lack of looting is the biggest detail in this case imo. To me it speaks of a panicked crime. Combined with the season, spring or summer, I don't believe the crime was panicked due to bad weather conditions. Maybe it was a very young person taking a revenge shot at him because of something Ötzi had done in the near past.
    - fapjacks 10y ago
      I think so too, INTPenis. With respect to your "young person taking revenge", I would think that a young(er) person would loot the belongings, and that an old(er) person would have the social/intellectual wherewithal not to come back to town carrying the chief's cousin's copper axe. I realize I'm speculating wildly here, though I completely agree that Ötzi not having been looted is the biggest detail.
  - salesguy222 10y ago
    I appreciate your perspective, and that of the commenter below as well! I still think it is possible for Otzi to be a bandit/raider. He did not have a body for agricultural work, and he had clothes designed for surviving harsh (non-domestic climates). My hypothesis is that he probably pissed off a few too many people and his reputation began spreading from town to town possibly. He probably stole food and goods at night and then walked away with his haul to use or sell elsewhere. Eventually, people figured out that they had a bit of a human vulture up in the mountains. When he came down to the village to get some goods and provisions, he was confronted by attackers, wounded, and escaped. He fled high up into the mountains, stopping to eat and rest from his encounter. Someone from the village, followed him, sniped him, and did not loot Otzi. Why? I hypothesize probably because the person viewed Otzi as a nuissance, and viewed himself as more honorable than Otzi. It honestly sounds like some kind of vigilante justice situation, or even a proto police force. Police aren't supposed to loot their kills (but these days they do, and auction off the items ;] )
    - fapjacks 10y ago
      Interesting. I grok what you're saying now and it does make sense. And though I do agree that people do exist who put honor before everything else, we know that kings were buried with the kinds of items that Ötzi had, especially the copper axe. It would have to be some kind of Klingon to put honor before looting that. I totally grok your perspective, though, and I don't think it's unreasonable.

Alex3917 10y ago

> blood from four different people has reportedly been found on his weapons. This article doesn't mention it, but he was also carrying a birch polypore, which is a styptic.

pvaldes 10y ago
Is more probable that the polypore would be used as tinder On the other hand, the use of ash wood in the knife is a smart move.
- Alex3917 10y ago
  He was also carrying a tinder polypore, so it's unlikely the birch polypore was used for tinder.
INTPenis 10y ago
That's very cool. 45 years old in good shape in those days must have been a status symbol in itself. 45 years today is pretty wise already but back then I'm sure your average wandering 45 year old knew basic field medical techniques just to stay alive.
- foldr 10y ago
  Not necessarily. A lot of people died young, which lowered the average lifespan considerably, but once you got through your childhood and teens, your chances of living to an old age were reasonably high.
  - Nomentatus 10y ago
    Actually, take away infant mortality (and maybe even not) and their lifespans exceed ours on average. Agriculture doesn't provide the same level of nutrition, no large groups to spread disease, etc.