- The mummified remains of Otzi the Iceman were found in the Alps in 1991
- He was found with a bow, a quiver of arrows, and a copper axe
- An analysis of the axe shows that it was made in southern Tuscany
- It remains a mystery how it came to be with Otzi hundreds of miles away
When his mummified remains were discovered 25 years ago, Otzi the iceman was carrying a bow, a quiver of arrows and a copper axe.
Researchers have analysed his axe, which is made of copper, and suggest that it was likely to have been made in southern Tuscany.
Tuscany is hundreds of miles away from the Alps where Otzi was discovered, and it remains a mystery why it should come from so far away.
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Researchers have analysed his axe, which is made of copper, and suggest that it was likely to have been made in southern Tuscany
Researchers from the University of Padova have analysed the axe, which was found in the Otzal Mountains with the mummified remains of Otzi the iceman.
In their study, which is published in Plos One, the researchers, led by Dr Gilberto Artioli, wrote: ‘Our results unambiguously indicate that the source of the metal is the ore-rich area of southern Tuscany, despite ample evidence that Alpine copper ore sources were known and exploited at the time.’
The experts say that the trade of copper between central Italy and the remote Alps was ‘surprising.’