In 1991, hikers came across a body that was partially contained in ice high up in the Alpine province of South Tyrol, Italy. Initially thought to be from a recent death, the body was later discovered to be 5,300 years old – from a time known as the Copper Age.
This amazing find would subsequently become known as Ötzi the iceman. His body and belongings were extensively studied, prompting numerous questions: what was he doing here? Where was he from? How did he live – and die?
Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany have just added another piece to this jigsaw, describing the physical appearance of Ötzi based on new DNA information. They say he probably had relatively dark skin and was balding. But how reliable are these predictions and could they be used in forensics?
