Edda Guareschi Is the New Curator of Ötzi, the Iceman

The South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology is pleased to welcome an internationally known expert, Edda Guareschi, to its team. In October 2025, following an induction phase lasting several months, Edda Guareschi has taken on the role of conservator and curator of the Iceman, working in close collaboration with the museum management, the former conservators, and the Scientific Advisory Board.

Edda Guareschi is a medical doctor specialized in forensic pathology and legal medicine. She also holds a master’s degree in forensic anthropology and forensic odontology. The extraordinary breadth of her expertise makes her particularly well qualified for the demanding task of conservation, as well as for the scientific study, of the mummy of Ötzi.

Born in Italy, her academic career took her to Europe and the United States; most recently, she worked in Western Australia as a lecturer of forensic pathology and anthropology at Curtin University. Guareschi is the author of numerous scientific publications in the field of forensic pathology, with many years of international experience as a lecturer and speaker. In addition, she maintains an honorary research appointment at the Shipwrecks Museum, a section of the Western Australian Museum, an institution dedicated to underwater archaeology and to the analysis and conservation of historic shipwrecks and shipwrecked people dating from the 1600s onward.

In her new role at the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology, Edda Guareschi will be responsible of the complex task of conserving the Iceman mummy, and will pursue projects aimed at developing new conservation techniques. She will also initiate, supervise, and coordinate research projects. Another issue close to her heart is the involvement of young researchers; she therefore aims to offer both local and international students the opportunity to participate in research projects related to the Iceman.

The new curator is 54 years old, has resettled in South Tyrol, and speaks German and French in addition to Italian and English. “We are truly delighted to welcome Edda Guareschi, a highly qualified and very experienced expert, to our team. The long-term conservation of the Iceman and research on the mummy are central tasks of the museum, and with Dr. Guareschi they are in excellent hands,” said Elisabeth Vallazza, Director of the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology.

Photo: Edda Guareschi (c) South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology / Manuela Tessaro