Otzi the Iceman: The Frozen Mummy’s Mushrooms

The featured image is a picture of Otzi’s Birch Polypores courtesy of South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology.

Rumbles reverberated through his stomach, letting him know it was time to make camp. He had been on the move for days and had been making decent progress despite the immense amount of pain he had been in. It didn’t take long to find a decent area to stay the night.

Building the fire was difficult with his right hand injured the way it was, but at least he didn’t have to work hard to get it burning. The Tinder Polypore, Fomes fomentarius, had taken care of that task.

Once the fire was lit, he pulled out some of the dried meat and grains from his sack. While they’d relieve the hunger pangs, he knew they wouldn’t take care of the pain from the parasites that had invaded his intestines. Luckily, he carried some Birch Polypores, Piptoporus betulinus, strung around his neck. With enough time, it might relieve him of his pests.

Unfortunately, there wouldn’t be enough time. As another painful spasm gripped him, he suddenly realized it wasn’t his stomach this time. The extreme pain was in the back of his shoulder, where an arrow was now lodged. It seemed the person he had fought a few days before was back to finish the job, sneaking up on him instead of risking another physical altercation.

Otzi the Iceman lay where he was killed for roughly 5,300 years before hikers discovered his frozen, mummified body. Originally thought to be a modern corpse, like many found in the area, Otzi and the items he had with him were brought to authorities. Upon investigation, however, they discovered that he was the oldest natural mummy we’ve found.  

While the full story of his murder will never be known, historians have pieced together several clues. One big factor is that he likely wasn’t killed for his belongings, as valuable items were found with him. Even more important, however, are the clues historians and archeologists have found about his life.

Several factors point to the idea that Otzi was on the move a lot. As such, the provisions he decided to take with him were revealing about what was important. The fact that he carried two different types of mushrooms, one on cords around his neck and the other in a special pouch, speaks to them having a large purpose in his life.

The types of mushrooms are telling as well. Birch polypores are believed to remove parasites, of which Otzi had many. A paste can also be made from grinding up the softer interior and adding water. This can be used in a pinch for sealing wounds. Tinder polypores enable one to carry an ember from one campsite to another, making starting fires while on the go easier; especially in a time when there were no matches or lighters.

Mushrooms have developed a reputation for being boring, but they have held importance throughout history that we’re only starting to understand. Otzi’s discovery brought us several steps closer, but there’s still much to learn.