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Facts & figures

Building and exhibitions

The South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology belongs to the museums run by the Autonomous Province of Bozen-Bolzano, South Tyrol, Italy. It is located in a former bank, dating from 1912 when the city was part of the Austrian Empire, on the edge of Bozen’s pedestrian zone. Designed in 1998 as a space featuring exhibits from the archaeology of the southern Alpine arc, Ötzi and numerous topics associated with the Iceman can now be seen on three floors of the Museum. The fourth floor is dedicated to regularly changing special exhibitions about archaeology in South Tyrol. A new museum location for Ötzi and the permanent exhibition on the archaeology of South Tyrol is currently under discussion.

 

Reminder Ötzi the Iceman

More than 5,000 years ago, a man ascended the icy heights of the Schnals Valley glacier and died there. In 1991, his mortal remains – together with his clothing and equipment, mummified and frozen – were discovered by accident. This was an archaeological sensation providing a unique glimpse into the life of a man of the Chalcolithic Period who was travelling at high altitudes. After many years of investigation by highly-specialized research teams, the mummy recovered from the glacier and the accompanying artifacts are now accessible to the public in the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology. We are fascinated, astonished, but also strangely touched to meet a witness of our own past. The fate of an individual human being deprives the "story" of its anonymity – and it comes alive in our imaginations.

Ötzi terminology

The nickname Ötzi, coined by Viennese journalist Karl Wendl (after the Ötztal Alps in South Tyrol where the mummy was found), is frequently used in German-speaking countries, but the English term Iceman has caught on internationally.

Provenance of visitors

The South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology is not a major institution, but visitors come from all continents. In 2019 (last year before the pandemy), people from all European countries visited the Museum: Germany: 42%; Italy not including South Tyrol: 27%; South Tyrol: 5%; Austria: 6%, rest of Europe: 14%; rest of the world: 6%.

Number of visitors

Since its opening on 28 march 1998, the museum has been visited by over 6 million people. Last year, 2022, we met 254,088 visitors.

The permanent exhibition of the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology

It has been more than 30 years since a married couple hiking on a glacier in the Ötz Valley Alps discovered one of the most important mummies ever found. People, the media and scientists from all over the world followed the recovery of Ötzi the Iceman, who had been preserved intact for 5,300 years along with his clothing and equipment. Archaeological and scientific research has uncovered countless secrets about Ötzi and his life during the Copper Age. Since it opened on 28 March 1998, over 6 million people have visited the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology in Bolzano to see the mummy and its artefacts at close hand. In 2011, the permanent exhibition on the Iceman in the South Tyrol Museum of Archeology was extended to three floors and expanded to include Ötzi's living environment, the research results and the murder case.

Original display

The first floor of the Museum is dedicated to Ötzi and his original artefacts. The content has been reworked to include the latest scientific findings and underscores the unique nature of the objects. For the first time, the complex preservation technology of the mummy is explained. Visitors can find out more about mummification via videos or interactive stations. The comparison with a skeleton cast from the Remedello necropolis from the time of Ötzi (near Brescia, Italy, 3rd millennium BC) illustrates the wealth of additional information that a glacier mummy like Ötzi can offer. In the "Discovery Room" active area, various materials invite you to experiment and try things out: who can put Ötzi's birch bark vessel together? How can string be made from Linden bast? How does it feel to wear Ötzi's fur coat?

Research findings

On the second floor of the Museum, the Alpine environment during the Copper Age is vividly depicted and complemented by important artefacts from the Alpine region. Silex and copper, two important materials from Ötzi's equipment, provide an insight into the Copper Age knowledge of materials and the procurement radius of raw materials. The topics on this floor draw on the results that research and science have gathered over the past thirty years. The exhibition also includes details of the researchers’ methods and working processes. Visitors can even examine the mummy at an interactive multimedia light table. The virtual body of the mummy can be opened up via a touch screen, and visitors can discover and study important medical curiosities. Microscopes are also on hand to examine Ötzi’s bone structure, which was used to determine his age. A lot of space is also devoted to results that were triggered by the decoding of Ötzi's DNA. Ötzi’s origins indicates that his ancestors migrated from the Middle East during the Neolithic period following the spread of farming and animal rearing. Forensic science has determined that Ötzi was clearly of Central European origin. His genome inherited from his mother’s side has died out, but is most similar to the Ladin population in the South Tyrolean Dolomites. On his father’s side, the Iceman belongs to a genetic group that was previously widespread in Europe but is now rare and only found in isolated communities such as on the islands of Sardinia and Corsica.

Criminal case

The discovery of an arrowhead in Ötzi’s left shoulder in 2001 put a new and interesting slant on the archaeological complex: an archaeological site has become a crime scene. The case surrounding the murder of Ötzi has been reopened, and every visitor can help to solve the case. A digital 3D model of Ötzi's chest invites you to slip into the role of a pathologist or coroner.

Reconstruction

One of the highlights of the exhibition is the three-dimensional representation of Ötzi. The reconstruction, completed in 2011, depicts a man of medium height with a slender, wiry build, a narrow, pointed face, a shaggy beard and suntanned skin. His brown, slightly narrowed eyes gaze at visitors with an alert, quizzical expression. Ötzi was remodelled using modern forensic methods based on CT data and a 3D reconstruction of his cranium. The two Dutch paleo artists, Adrie and Alfons Kennis, recreated the 5,300-year-old Iceman during five months of reconstruction work, capturing a snapshot of him a few days before his death.

Glacier archaeology

The fact that the Iceman was not the only one to travel the icy heights is shown by organic finds that are unique in the world and that were uncovered by the glaciers in today's South Tyrol. They prove human mobility in and across the Alps as early as the Ötzi period.

The "Tyrolean Iceman": The Importance of the Find

The "Tyrolean Iceman": The Importance of the Find and the Exhibition in the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology

The South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology in Bolzano/Bozen, South Tyrol, Italy, was opened on the 28th of March, 1998. In its 1,200 square meters of exhibition rooms, it documents on three floors the chalcolithic mummy "Tyrolean Iceman" (nicknamed "Oetzi") and the artifacts found with him. The most unique fact about the complex of archaeological finds which came to light in 1991 at the glacier's edge is the discovery of a fully-clothed, fully-equipped mummy, providing a glimpse of the clothes and technical abilities of the late Neolithic Age (3,300 to 3,100 B.C.). Prior to this, the only remnants we had of the apparel of those times were the relatively fragmentary remains found in the lake dwellings in the circum-alpine region; generally, these consisted of woven or knitted plant fibers. Animal-derived materials (furs, etc.) were absent there. Thus, the complex of "Ice Man" finds offer a snapshot of a man from Chalcolithic times who was underway in the Upper Alps. His clothing consists of a cap, a fur coat, a pair of trousers, a leather loin cloth, and a pair of lined shoes. His equipment included an unfinished bow stave, a quiver and arrow shafts, a copper hatchet, a dagger with a silex (flint) blade, a retoucheur, a birch bark container, a backpack, as well as various spare materials and bone tips. Many of the artefacts preserved in the ice are one of a kind in the world. In the absence of organic remains, it was not clear from previous finds how these objects were made and how they worked.

The Presentation of the Iceman in the Museum

In awareness of fact that this archaeological find was likely to trigger heated ethical discussions, great importance was attached to a very restrained form of presentation, when the Museum was established in 1998. The current exhibition format stems from the 2011 special exhibition on 20 years of the Iceman, which was followed by an update of the permanent exhibition in 2021/2022.
The area surrounding the mummy is deliberately stark: the white-painted walls evoke a wide-open and snow-covered landscape. The graphics and architecture do not in any way detract from the object. The discovery and recovery of the find are illustrated by video projections to complement the information panels. A discovery room at the end the floor gives visitors the chance to try a reconstruction of the coat worn by Ötzi.
By means of partitioning of the exhibition room, the museum visitor can decide for himself if he wants to view the mummy or not. The window through which one can look at the mummy has not been "shoved" into the middle point of the entire exhibition. Instead, it has been placed in a visually separated, tastefully designed room. The 40x40cm wall opening allows the museum visitor to take a look into the refrigeration chamber in which the mummy – lying on a precision scale – is conserved at a temperature of -6°C and nearly 100% relative air humidity – the same conditions found in a glacier.
Behind the metal wall visible in the exhibition room, there is the so-called "Iceman Box:" a complex installation consisting of two refrigeration chambers with independent systems, an examination room, and a decontamination chamber. Sterile conditions and air filtration are guaranteed in all of the chambers. A small laboratory is available for further scientific investigations. A computer-controlled station registers the measurement values (pressure, temperature, relative humidity, weight of the mummy) which are transmitted by the sensors and probes mounted on the mummy's body or in the refrigeration chamber. They can automatically sound an alarm if any changes occur. This alarm and security system enables the specialized technicians to react immediately in the event of an emergency. Coroner Prof. Dr. med. Oliver Peschel (University of Munich, Germany) and pathologist Dr. med. Martina Tauber (Bolzano Regional Hospital) supervise the preservation of the mummy.
In contrast to the other areas of the museum, the floor dedicated to the Iceman has dimmed lights. This is not done to create a particular atmosphere, but rather for conservatorial reasons, paying heed to the light-sensitive nature of the objects. The accompanying finds are kept in acclimatised showcases and are displayed under 50 Lux strong lamps.
The fascination exerted by the world's oldest ice mummy is undiminished even now, more than 30 years after its discovery. But according to the museum visitors, it isn't just the chance for a "face-to-face" meeting with an ancient ancestor from the Chalcolithic Period which stamps itself in their memory. More than anything else, it is the equipment – preserved for the first time – of a Chalcolithic man which they find so enthralling: Frozen together with the man, his clothes, tools, and personal effects have withstood the millennia. Carefully restored and reconstructed by the Roman-Germanic Central Museum in Mainz (Germany), his "thermal shoes," "backpack," and the dagger and sheath make it apparent how expediently equipped the Iceman was. It is amazing to note how little difference there is between the Neolithic implements and the standard equipment of a modern mountaineer. Only the materials have undergone a fundamental modernization. Archaeo-technicians from all over Europe have repeatedly created and tested replicas of the finds discovered along with the Iceman. They were astonished at how functional the bow and arrows were, the hatchet (which could also be used to fell trees), and the tinder polypore from Oetzi's belt, with which he could (together with pyrite nodules) start a fire regardless of wind and weather.

Research

The initial findings showed that Ötzi – at 46 a relatively old man for his time – must have suffered from arthritis. In an attempt to treat it, he had tattoos applied at specific neuralgic points. He also suffered from intestinal whipworms.
In 2001, X-ray images and a CAT scan revealed the presence of an arrowhead in Ötzi’s left shoulder. Since the entry wound didn’t have time to heal while Ötzi was still alive and the arrowhead pierced a vital artery, scientists assume that Ötzi was fatally wounded by an arrow and bled to death within a short time. In addition, new insights were gained into an unhealed laceration on his right hand, indicating that he had engaged in hand-to-hand combat some hours or days before his death. In addition, evidence came to light that he may have suffered craniocerebral trauma before his death. These discoveries have shed light on Ötzi’s personal tragedy but at the same time raise more questions about the cause of his violent death.
In November 2010, twenty years after the mummy’s discovery, Ötzi was briefly thawed out under controlled conditions by a team of researchers in Bolzano, the aim being to obtain tissue samples for further scientific analysis. Some of these samples were passed on to independent institutes for analysis, while others were stored and will be distributed later to vetted institutions. In 2010, red blood cells (erythrocytes) were identified in the supposedly bloodless body. They are indistinguishable from modern-day fresh red blood cells in size and shape. The identification of fibrin around the arrow wound, which breaks down rapidly after clotting, confirmed that Ötzi did not survive long after being wounded.

Ötzi’s last meal: ibex meat

A new analysis of X-rays of Ötzi identified his stomach, which, contrary to earlier assumptions, contained food remnants. His last meal, which he probably ate no more than an hour before his death, consisted of a mixture of fatty ibex and deer meat as well as grain.

What the DNA reveals
Several years ago it was believed to be impossible to decode the fragmented nuclear DNA of a 5,300-year-old mummy. It was therefore a worldwide sensation when in 2011 Ötzi’s nuclear genome was isolated by the Ancient DNA Laboratory at the EURAC Institute for Mummies and the Iceman in Bolzano in cooperation with an international research team. Analysis provided detailed information on Ötzi’s appearance and bodily functions, new insights into his origins and ancestry and evidence of medical conditions and predispositions to disease. Genetic analysis revealed that Ötzi had brown eyes and that his blood type was 0 positive.

Lactose intolerance, borreliosis and Helicobacter pylori

A surprising find was that Ötzi was genetically predisposed to several diseases. In particular, he had a very high risk of cardiovascular disease, which would have made him susceptible to a heart attack or stroke if he hadn’t been prematurely killed by an arrow. His genes also show that he was lactose intolerant, meaning that he was unable to digest lactose in milk – a trait he probably shared with the majority of his contemporaries. Ötzi’s genome also revealed traces of Borrelia, tick-borne bacteria that are the cause of infectious Lyme disease. This discovery is the oldest evidence ever of borreliosis and proves that ticks already posed a danger to man and beast 5000 years ago. In 2016, researchers found evidence of the bacterium Helicobacter pylori in Ötzi’s stomach. The bacterium is present in half of all people and can lead to stomach ulcers. It is the oldest evidence of the bacterium ever found. However, to the astonishment of the research team, it didn’t resemble the bacterial strain found in Europe but a strain found in Central and South Asia. The mixture of African and Asian bacterial strains that characterizes the European bacterium therefore probably developed after Ötzi’s lifetime and suggests that settlement of the European continent was more complex than was previously supposed.

Ötzi’s ancestry

Analysis of the genome revealed information about both his mother’s ancestors and the lineage of his father. Through his father’s line, Ötzi belonged to a subgroup of haplogroup G2a2b (G2a-L91), which has meanwhile become very rare on the European mainland (> 0.1%). Ötzi’s haplogroup is relatively common only on the islands of Sardinia and Corsica. This suggests that Ötzi and the populations in Sardinia and Corsica had common ancestors who migrated from the east to Europe during the Neolithic period. In the course of time, this group was displaced by, or mingled with, other population groups across large swathes of Europe. The descendants of the original population have only survived in significant numbers on the isolated Mediterranean islands. Through his mother’s side, Ötzi belongs to haplogroup K1f, a subgroup of K1 that was only found in the central Alps and has since died out. Many of these findings would have been unthinkable a decade ago, showing that scientific research into Ötzi is far from over. Technical advances will raise new questions and provide us with an even more detailed insight into the life of this man. Ötzi’s secrets have not all been revealed by any means, inviting museum visitors and researchers alike to contribute their ideas. Why was Ötzi travelling in the mountains? Why was he killed? Why wasn’t his copper axe taken? Was he alone? Who did he live with and how did he live? These questions show that in this case archaeology has been given a face in the truest sense and that it can touch people by uncovering the fate of an individual.