In September 1991, two German hikers exploring the Otztal Alps discovered a corpse buried in the ice. When the rescue team collected evidence, they found that was not the unfortunate remains of a modern climber, but a mummy of 5300 years ago. Ötzi, also called Iceman, lived around 3300 BC and was the oldest natural human mummy in Europe.
The 5,300-year-old "Iceman" was better equipped than most modern tourists when hiking in the Alps. He had a copper axe, a bow and arrow, a knife, snowshoes, some antibacterial mushrooms, and a complex firestarting kit including “tinder fungus,” a mushroom that bursts into flame when struck with sparks.
The 5,300-year-old "Iceman" was better equipped than most modern tourists when hiking in the Alps. He had a copper axe, a bow and arrow, a knife, snowshoes, some antibacterial mushrooms, and a complex firestarting kit including “tinder fungus,” a mushroom that bursts into flame when struck with sparks.
