bible studies are like archaeology

07-13-2022

details and patience matter

In my attempt to share with you the level of detail at which I believe we should try to investigate the bible. The following is a real story of how an unlikely archaeological discovery provided years of extensive scientific study surrounding who is now being called, “Europe’s Oldest Celebrity.”

Circumstances leading to the find:

On 19 September 1991, German holidaymakers Erika und Helmut Simon discovered a human corpse during a mountain hike at 3210 m above sea level near Tisenjoch/Giogo di Tisa in the Schnalstal/Val Senales Valley. Only his upper body was protruding from the ice. The Simons reported the find to the landlord of the Similaun mountain refuge, who contacted the Austrian police as well as the Italian carabinieri, because the site of the find was situated on the border between the two countries. It was assumed that the man was the unfortunate victim of a mountaineering accident. The following day an initial attempt wasmade to recover the body. But the rescuers were unable to free the dead man from the ice, and the endeavor was abandoned due to bad weather. Only his axe was taken down to the valley.

Attempts at Recovery:

The following day, 21 September, a further attempt at recovery failed because no helicopter was available. The same day, the landlord of the Similaun mountain refuge, Markus Pirpamer, visited the site to cover the body with a plastic sheet. The famous South Tyrolean mountaineers Hans Kammerlander and Reinhold Messner also arrived the same day to take a look at the leather clothing and the birch-bark containers. Pirpamer showed them a sketch of the axe, prompting Messner to be the first to suspect that the corpse was very old.

An archaeologic sensation:

Konrad Spindler, an expert in pre- and early history at Innsbruck University, was finally called in on 24 September. He promptly estimated the mummy’s age to be “at least 4000 years old”. As the corpse had already started to decompose, it was placed in a cold cell that simulated glacier conditions.

Discovery site:

The discovery site was at 3210 m above sea level on Tisenjoch/Giogo di Tisa, below the Finail peak. The corpse lay in a 3-by-7-metre-wide gully and was thus protected from the destructive forces of the moving glacier. The rocky gully was probably free of ice when Ötzi died there. Subsequently, he must have been covered by snow and the glacier ice. When the mummy was found in 1991, the ice had melted considerably due to the warm summer, and this is why his upper body was clearly visible protruding from the melt water. Today, a large stone pyramid stands near the discovery site to commemorate this fortuitous archaeologic find.

Archaeologic excavations:

During the first scientific inspection on 25 September 1991 the quiver and its contents were recovered. During further excavations in October, string, hide remnants, birch bark and a piece of a grass mat were unearthed. But the area couldn’t be examined systematically until July and August 1992. Archaeologists “delved” into the ice for the first time, removing snow and ice with steam blowers. The well-preserved bearskin cap was found at this point (Archaeology, 2016).

Now before we learn more about this mysterious individual, let’s first do a brief overview of how an archeological dig site is developed and the logistics surrounding a dig.

Typically, when an excavation site is determined, it is surveyed and measured. Essentially framing the area in which to uncover. Once a target area of the landscape is agreed upon the large frame of the dig site is divided up into multiple smaller squares, dividing the entire target area into smaller workable areas for smaller teams assigned to a specific square. One person is assigned as the “square leader” and decides how the square should be excavated.

Proper etiquette for excavating a square includes keeping the square perfectly level as you're digging and keeping the sides of the square completely straight to keep artifacts intact. This is performed because the agreed-upon methodology also says when performing a dig, you are causing catastrophic damage to the identified area regardless of our carefully it is excavated because it was perfectly preserved in the earth and any disruption to the target area by humans is disrupting the preservation. Thus, great care is taken in minimizing the disruption of all causes in a controlled form of destruction. It’s the exact opposite of what Hollywood taught us in Indiana Jones.

Beyond the typical excavation due to advanced forensics and technology in autopsies, scientists and archeologists can gather additional site data in painstaking detail.

Now back to our mysterious discovery. After 25 years scientists are finally getting answers to some of the most hidden mysteries surrounding this discovery. “The brown-eyed, gap-toothed, tattooed man most likely spent his 40-odd years farming and herding and was probably suffering from a painful stomach ache at the time that he died a quick—albeit violent—death in the Öztal Alps” (Romey, 2016).

During the excavation of the site where the mummy, nick-named, “Ötzi,” was found among the frozen remanence on and around the mummified body, were a hide coat, and skin leggings, fur hat, and hay-stuffed shoes. Even though the level of decomposition over the thousands of years is substantial, the ice and permafrost preserved enough evidence of the types of leather researchers have been able to unambiguously identify the specific animal species for the animal skins. This helps scientists determine which animals were chosen during ancient clothing production and if the materials were sourced domesticated or wild, indigenous or imported from foreign lands. Through this forensic science, they can gain “unique insights into the human past: Was the clothing worn purely for utility, or did it reflect the social status of the wearer? Were animal skins selected solely due to their availability, or were certain types of leathers and furs prized for specific qualities (Romey, 2016)?

“Researchers were able to capture ancient DNA markers in nine samples of leather and fur from different articles of the Iceman's clothing. According to their study published today in Scientific Reports, Ötzi's attire choices were selective and pragmatic.

They confirmed that Ötzi's leather loincloth and hide coat were "haphazardly" stitched from sheepskin, an identification already made in previous studies. However, the genetic analysis revealed that the sheep species sampled is closer to modern domestic European sheep than to their wild cousins, and that the articles were fashioned from the skins of at least four animals. The analysis showed that part of Ötzi's coat was also made from domesticated goat belonging to a mitochondrial haplogroup (a genetic population that shares a common female ancestor) that still roams the hills and valleys of central Europe today…

While Ötzi likely lived a life of farming and herding, he may have also hunted and trapped wild animals in his alpine environment. Genetic analysis shows that his quiver was made from wild roe deer, while his fur hat was fashioned from a genetic lineage of brown bear still seen in the region today” (Romey, 2016).

Additionally, the tissue, bones, organs, DNA, environmental particulates and chemicals found on the body also draw conclusions regarding the state of the mummy’s health and integration with his surroundings. Based on the “osteons” (functional units of bone) in Ötzi’s femur bone, scientists believe he was 45 years old. He was about average height and weight for the population of the time and location. From the few areas where the hair was preserved on the body, they determine he had dark, medium-long hair which he wore loosely. They found a trace amount of arsenic in his hair which led scientists to believe he was present where heavy metal ores were smelted. Parasites and pathogens were found on the mummy’s body including two human fleas found on his clothing. Scientists found the oldest evidence of Lyme disease (an infectious disease usually carried by ticks) in his DNA results. Also found in his DNA is evidence he was genetically predisposed to cardiovascular disease which came in the form of arteriosclerosis. They say he was very likely lactose intolerant, and they even verified his blood type as O+. Scientists also found eggs of whipworm, which is an intestinal parasite, in his digestive tract. Among the incredible discoveries surrounding his body had to do with his teeth, bones and joints, previous injuries, etc. Scientists have concluded the time of year he died based on the analysis of pollen and maple leaves in the mummy’s “birch bark containers” which allow botanists to narrow down the time of his death to early summer.

As we read more about the discovery of Ötzi and the forensic evidence preserved over thousands of years we uncover a wealth of knowledge about incredibly detailed facets of this ancient man’s life. In many ways we are able to understand his life more intimately through science than he would have known himself.