Ötzi at XI World Congress on mummy studies

On August 14, 2025, the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology presented an innovative project at the 11th World Congress on Mummy Studies: high-resolution 3D documentation of the 5,300-year-old glacier mummy Ötzi and his associated artifacts. Using cutting-edge photogrammetry, AI-based methods such as Neural Radiance Fields (NeRF), and polarization photography, experts from Arc-Team, led by archaeologist Luca Bezzi, created extremely precise digital models. These were combined with CT scans, enabling unprecedented anatomical insights.

“This high-end documentation allows us to conduct research while the mummy remains safely stored in the cooling chamber, and records her state of preservation in more detail than traditional images or the human eye,” emphasized museum director Elisabeth Vallazza. The project represents a technological milestone and a model for museums worldwide, as it was carried out entirely with open-source software.

Ötzi’s health was also in the spotlight in Cusco: radiologist Patrizia Pernter presented evidence of atherosclerosis in the mummy. This makes Ötzi the oldest known patient with this vascular disease – another valuable contribution to medical research.

Photos:
(c) South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology / Arc-Team
CT image (c) Bolzano Hospital