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Ancient artifacts from melting glaciers

The race to retrieve ancient artifacts from melting glaciers

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Swiss scientists believe that only decades remain before areas that have been covered with ice for thousands of years melt away. The melting of the long-frozen snow and ice in the Swiss Alps, and elsewhere around the world, has already yielded numerous ancient artifacts, from hunting tools to goat-skin leggings, shoes, and Otzi the Iceman, the remains of a man who lived more than 5,000 years ago; and they are turning up with more and more frequency as the speed of melting increases.

As part of the efforts to recover buried artifacts, a recent project run by a Swiss cultural institute encouraged alpine hikers to keep a look out for relics uncovered by melting glaciers and to turn over any items found in the Swiss National Park.  In Switzerland and beyond, the booming field of glacier and ice patch archaeology represents both an opportunity and a crisis. On one hand, it exposes artifacts and sites that have been preserved in ice for millennia, offering new insights into our ancient past. On the other hand, from the moment the ice at such sites melts, the pressure to find, document, and conserve the exposed artifacts is tremendous.

Ötzi the iceman is the famous ice mummy, who was discovered by some German tourists in the Alps in 1991 and was originally believed to be the frozen corpse of a mountaineer or soldier who died during World War I. Tests later confirmed the iceman dates back to 3,300 BC and most likely died from a blow to the back of the head. He is Europe's oldest natural human mummy and, remarkably, his body contained the still intact blood cells, which resembled a modern sample of blood. His body was so well-preserved that scientists were even able to determine that his last meal was red deer and herb bread, eaten with wheat bran, roots and fruit. A DNA analysis showed him at high risk of atherosclerosis, lactose intolerance, and the earliest known human with Lyme disease. 

Otzi the iceman

Otzi the iceman. Credit: South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology

In 2006, a woodworker hiking near Lendbreen in Norway came across a well-preserved leather shoe, which incredibly, was last worn in the Bronze Age, some 3,400 years ago.  In 2011, another amazing discovery was made – a 1,700-year-old well-preserved tunic made of lamb’s wool.

1,700-year-old tunic recovered from ice

1,700-year-old tunic recovered from ice.  Photo: Mårten Teigen/Museum of Cultural History

Among the items preserved in ice, fabric and leather are the most remarkable—and the most fragile. Wood artifacts may last a few years once they melt out of the ice, but for these items, the clock runs out much faster.  Researchers have a week or less to recover leather before it dries out, becomes light and brittle, and blows away.

The Swiss cultural institute is sponsoring the artifact retrieval project through the end of 2015 and will catalogue discoveries so that archaeologists can investigate them further.

By April Holloway

 

Comments

Justbod's picture

It is a bit scary to think of the rate at which the glaciers are melting, but fascinating to think what we might discover in the next few years.

Thank you for the article!

 

Sculptures, carvings & artwork inspired by a love of history & nature: www.justbod.co.uk

 

 

 

Being an amature archaeoligest , (no formal training) , I applaude any efforts to preserve history , by whatever means . And , by involving the public , our goal of holding that history in our hands is greatly enhanced , even exponetiencaly

Interesting website

aprilholloway's picture

April

April Holloway is a Co-Owner, Editor and Writer of Ancient Origins. For privacy reasons, she has previously written on Ancient Origins under the pen name April Holloway, but is now choosing to use her real name, Joanna Gillan.

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