On occasion, visitors to the Mummy Tombs have written with questions about the Iceman. Here is a selection of their questions with my answers. If you have a question about Ötzi, you can write to me. If I can, I will post an answer here. 

QUESTION from Frank: As I have found your site one of the most comprehensive, accurate and up to date on subject, I hope you might offer me some insights.... (I'm a pastor and just interested in our human history in general as well.) ....what causes the 'hair loss' since his tanned bear-skin cap was found intact and yet his whole body seems very naked? Again, thank you for your interesting site... and may you continue to attract readers of all ages. 

ANSWER: Thank you for writing. Basically, the Iceman's body was naturally "scalped" by the process of mummification. The upper layer of skin including most of his hair was peeled right off the body. Though he had a full head of hair, it was not found attached to the body. 

QUESTION from Kelly: Our biology class is attempting to update the most recent film on Ötzi. We are trying to make it as real as possible, with our theory of how he died acted out. For my part in this film, I need to recreate his ax. This is where I need your help. With what materials was the ax made from? Also, what type of process or procedure was used during the making of his ax? If you sent me this information it would be greatly appreciated. Your website has provided the best information so far.

ANSWER: Ötzi's ax was 60 cm long. It was made from a portion of the trunk of a yew tree where a right-angled branch grew. The haft of the ax (i.e., the handle) came from the trunk; the shaft (the part onto which the copper blade was fitted) came from the branch--naturally joined. This allowed maximum durability. Most copper age axes are made from ash wood (Ötzi's was the first one to be found made from yew). The copper blade was fitted into the shaft and wrapped with a leather binding; the binding was coated with birch tar (i.e., boiled sap from the birch tree). The shaft was forked at the end (about 7 cm long). The ax blade extended out of the leather binding about 2.6 cm. Hope this helps.

QUESTION from Clea: I am a student at Central Florida Community College and I am doing a report on the Iceman. I read in your website that the book A Man in the Ice by Konrad Spindler was out of date. However, I thought that there may still may be some information that I could use. For example, the information about the iceman's belongings seem useable and not too out of date. If this book still has information I can use in a report, can you tell which sections those are? 

ANSWER: You can certainly still use Spindler's book for some of the basic information (how he was found, etc.), but you must remember that many more tests have been done on all of this belongings in the meantime and that some of his conclusions or statements may now be incorrect. I would suggest that you use Brenda Fowler's book Iceman as an additional source...it is the most current book available. (I would also use the most recent articles you can find as well.) I don't know about your professor, but many look at the dates of your sources to see if they are current. If the Spindler book is the only one you can find, obviously you will have to use it. But I would make an effort to track down Fowler's book, too. It can only help you produce better research.

QUESTION from Kristen: I just thought I would make a suggestion. Could put some more pictures of the Iceman [on your site]?

ANSWER: Thanks for your suggestion. Unfortunately, taking photos of the Iceman is not permitted at the museum where he is exhibited in Bolzano, Italy. So I cannot post any photos of him, other than the ones I do (these are mostly newspaper articles).  I post a page of links to photos. You also might visit the Museum's own website where there are many photos.