Ice+man+questions+LKW

1. How did nature mummify and preserve the iceman's body? The iceman was mummifed by the layers of ice that preserved his body and prevented him from decomposing.

2. Why was it so important that the scientists move quickly given your answer to #1 (think about bacteria). The iceman's body was being preserved and the bacteria were not decomposing his body because he was being preserved by the ice he was encased in. If the ice were allowed to thaw and he were to remain warm for too long, the bacteria would come back and begin decomposing his body.

3. What was the iceman's last meal and where did he consume it? His last meal was eaten outside of the mountains, near a hophorn plant, whose pollen was found in his stomach.

4. Where did the iceman's journey begin? What clues help scientist determine this origin? He began his journey in Italy. This was determined by the types of pollen that were found in his stomach, that were only found in a certain part of Italy and bloom in spring.

5. What do scientists think the iceman's role was in his village? They believe that he may have been either a shaman, explaining the tattoos, or possibly a tribal leader, which would explain the presence of the arrowhead in his back, since another person may have killed him over the rivalry of the tribe's leadership.

6. What was determined to be his cause of death and what clues help the scientists reach this conclusion? He was killed by being shot in the back with an arrow, and the arrowhead was seen when they took an x-ray of the iceman's body.