15 July 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Ötzi the Iceman Had Dark Skin, Bald Head and Anatolian Ancestry -New study rewrites ancient history

New DNA analysis by German researchers shows that the famous glacier mummy Ötzi may have had dark skin, dark eyes, a balding head, and steppe ancestry.

“Among the hundreds of early European people who lived at the same time as Ötzi and whose genomes are now available, Ötzi’s genome has more ancestry in common with early Anatolian farmers than any of his European counterparts,” the scientists said in the study, published Wednesday in the journal Cell Genomics.

The body of Ötzi was discovered by German tourist Helmut Simon on a glacier in the Tirolean Ötztal Alps, on the Italian-Austrian border, on Sept. 19, 1991. His body was remarkably well preserved due to the cold and a natural mummification process. Radiocarbon dating indicates that Ötzi lived around 3300 BC. He was a man between 35 and 40 years old, standing approximately 5 feet 2 inches (1.57 cm) tall and weighing around 110 pounds.

Ever since his discovery more than 30 years ago, he has been a fascinating source of information for historians and anthropologists. Ötzi was armed with a copper ax and a longbow and wore a bearskin hat.

Scientists have been able to conclude that he had a big meal of ibex meat and fat not long before his death, and that he died after being shot with an arrow between his rib cage and shoulder blade. Originally, it was believed that Ötzi had succumbed to exposure or exhaustion while crossing the Alps, freezing to death.

Since 2012, which is when Ötzi’s genome was sequenced for the first time, DNA sequencing technologies have advanced enormously. This new study reveals that compared to other contemporary Europeans, Ötzi’s genome had an unusually high proportion of genes in common with those of early farmers from Anatolia, that his skin was darker than previously thought, and that he was likely bald or had little hair on his head when he died. Photo: © South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology/Eurac/Marco Samadelli-Gregor Staschitz
Since 2012, which is when Ötzi’s genome was sequenced for the first time, DNA sequencing technologies have advanced enormously. This new study reveals that compared to other contemporary Europeans, Ötzi’s genome had an unusually high proportion of genes in common with those of early farmers from Anatolia, that his skin was darker than previously thought, and that he was likely bald or had little hair on his head when he died. Photo: © South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology/Eurac/Marco Samadelli-Gregor Staschitz

Scientists also previously believed the Iceman was lighter-skinned and hairier, and that his mummified corpse had changed over time in the ice.

The results provided important insights into the genetic makeup of prehistoric Europeans. Advances in sequencing technology have now enabled a research team from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology and Eurac Research to reconstruct Ötzi’s genome more accurately. The results of this recent analysis refine the Iceman’s genetic picture: compared to other contemporary Europeans, Ötzi’s genome has an unusually high proportion of genes in common with those of early farmers from Anatolia.

The study published Wednesday suggests Ötzi had no traces of the eastern European tribes.

Johannes Krause, head of the Department of Archaeogenetics at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, said his team was “very surprised” by the results.

“Genetically, his ancestors seem to have arrived directly from Anatolia without mixing with hunter-gatherer groups,” he said.

The researchers also deduced that Ötzi was bald, or almost bald, when he died. This was genetic, as his genes show a “predisposition for baldness,” the study said. The team also concluded that the Iceman was darker-skinned than initially thought. In life, his original skin color was likely similar to his body’s present color.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-023-02562-0

Related Articles

Shetland Discoveries Seem Close to Uncovering Ancient Viking Capital

4 July 2021

4 July 2021

Important discoveries were made on the last day of excavations to find the ancient Viking capital of Shetland, through the...

600 Years Old Sword and Equipment Found in Olsztyn

22 April 2021

22 April 2021

Aleksander Miedwiediew, a history buff, and detectorist discovered a bare sword, a sheath, and a knight’s belt with two knives...

Urartian King Argishti’s shield reveals the name of an unknown country

30 January 2023

30 January 2023

The inscription on a bronze shield purchased by the Rezan Has Museum revealed the name of an unknown country. It...

The Amazon rainforest was once home to ancient cities – A vast network of 2,500-year-old garden cities

12 January 2024

12 January 2024

Aerial surveys have revealed the largest 2,500-year-old ancient cities in the Amazon, hidden for thousands of years by lush vegetation...

Puzzling rings may be finger loops from prehistoric weapon systems

24 May 2023

24 May 2023

When many researchers looked at an astonishing group of artifacts discovered at French archaeological sites, they presumed they were ornaments...

Hellenistic cremation tomb found in Istanbul’s Haydarpasa excavations

11 April 2022

11 April 2022

A brick tomb belonging to the Hellenistic period (330 BC – 30 BC) was found during the Haydarpaşa excavations, which...

A Medieval ‘Vampire’ Grave Found in Croatia

1 February 2025

1 February 2025

Research at the Rašaška (or Račeša) site, located in the eastern part of Croatia, revealed a grave with an unusual...

The place where John the Baptist was martyred

4 February 2022

4 February 2022

The infamous birthday banquet of Herod Antipas, which culminated in the beheading of St John the Baptist — a preacher...

First Major Iron Age Cemetery Discovered in the UAE: A 3,000-Year-Old Burial Site in Al Ain Region

22 April 2025

22 April 2025

A groundbreaking archaeological discovery has emerged from the Al Ain Region of the United Arab Emirates, revealing a 3,000-year-old necropolis...

40.000-Year-Old Mammoth Bones Discovered in a Wine Cellar in Austria

25 May 2024

25 May 2024

A winemaker has discovered mammoth bones up to 30,000 to 40,000 years old in a wine cellar in Lower Austria. ...

1,800-year-old Bronze military medal with Medusa head found in southeastern Turkey

5 October 2022

5 October 2022

A military medal believed to be almost 1,800 years old has been found by archaeologists in Turkey. The discovery was...

Illegal digs reveal rare Roman-era mass grave in Turkey

28 July 2022

28 July 2022

A total of 27 skeletons were found in a burial pit carved into the rocks in Adıyaman province, an important...

Mysterious Handprints Found in the Ancient Mayan Cave

1 May 2021

1 May 2021

In Mexico, home to ancient civilizations such as the Maya, Aztec, and Inca, archaeologist Sergio Grosjean found dozens of mysterious...

First Female Viking Grave Discovered In Swedish Mountains

21 August 2022

21 August 2022

A mountain hiker in Jämtland, in central Sweden, on his way camping in Kalffällen, made a surprising discovery. The discovery...

Archaeologists discover Stargazer idol fragment in Turkey’s In the ancient city of Beçin

15 December 2021

15 December 2021

During archaeological excavations in the ancient city of Beçin in the Milas district of southern Turkey’s Muğla, the head of...