Iceman: Uncovering the Life and Times of a Prehistoric Man Found in an Alpine Glacier - Softcover

Fowler, Brenda

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0226258238 ISBN 13: 9780226258232

Publisher: University of Chicago Press, 2001

Synopsis

On September 19, 1991 a couple hiking along an Alpine ridge stumbled upon a frozen, intact corpse melting out of a glacier. He was dubbed "the Iceman," and his discovery—along with the realization that he was actually 5,000 years old—set off a whirlwind of political, scientific, and media activity that made him an overnight sensation. In this remarkable and dramatic book, Brenda Fowler takes readers through the bizarre odyssey that began in the Stone Age and continued for years after the Iceman was unearthed.

About this title

Review

In 1991, a dead man was found in a glacier on the Italian side of the Tyrolean Alps. How could he have known, as he settled down for a very long winter's nap, that his discovery would unleash a circus of political, scientific, and journalistic shenanigans that would make and break careers and cause international tension? Science writer Brenda Fowler takes a peek at the bizarre odyssey of this incredibly well-preserved frozen corpse in Iceman, covering every step of his transition from Stone Age accident victim to celebrity specimen to museum piece. The cast of characters involved is large and colorful, including archaeologists, smalltime politicians, curators, writers, and even channelers claiming to speak for Ötzi, as he came to be known. Initially taken to Austria and studied there, he was brought back closer to where he was found in northern Italy after years of political and scientific wrangling, though evidence suggests he may have originally come from modern-day Switzerland. Beyond the battles between nationalistic and egotistical players, Iceman contains an absorbing examination of the scientific process at work: hypotheses announced and discarded, the accretion of new evidence, and the ever-narrowing range of explanations for the find. The story is far from over, as research continues even as the question of Ötzi's resting place is settled (temporarily?). With luck, we may soon learn as much about our recent ancestors as we recently learned about ourselves. --Rob Lightner

From the Back Cover

"A remarkable story, brilliantly told....Brenda Fowler's account of the Iceman's discovery, the subsequent politicking between Austrian and Italian authorities over ownership, and the battle of egos among the scientists who had the privilege of glimpsing, in unprecedented detail, life in early Europe reads like a gripping detective novel."

--Roger Lewin

"A meticulous and smoothly constructed account of the bungled recovery and long, complex analysis of one of the most remarkable archaeological finds of recent years."
--Ian Tattersall, American Museum of Natural History

"I really admire this book! Written in sharp, clear prose, it works very well as a detective story, and the quality of research and depth of thought are standards for any work of popular science."

--Jonathan Marks, University of California at Berkeley

Edition details

• Publisher: University of Chicago Press
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0226258238
• ISBN 13: 9780226258232
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 312