MUSEO ARCHEOLOGICO DELL' ALTO ADIGE

The museum houses a fine collection of archaeological objects dating back to prehistoric and Roman times. But the star here is Ötzi, the Iceman. More than 200,000 visitors from all over the world come every year to queue up to see him. It is not the Mona Lisa, but almost!

The story of Ötzi, the ice man. It is about a 40 years old male human being, tattooed, killed by an arrow shot in the back, while he was climbing the Similum glacier. Frozen and mummified, he was discovered in 1991 by two hikers who, frightened, alerted the police. It took four days to free the body from the ice. It is a unique archaeological discovery of a man of the Chalcolithic (3200 BC). Thanks to his clothing and equipment, it was possible to better understand the technical abilities and migrations of men in the early Copper Age. His clothing consists of a bonnet, an animal skin cloak, leggings, a leather loincloth and furry shoes. His personal belongings, a bow, a quiver containing arrows and arrowheads, an axe with a copper blade, a dagger with a flint blade (flint), a hood and various spare materials (bone points...), are rich in information. From the story of his discovery to the interpretation of his life, the visit of the^first floor of the museum, which is dedicated to him, is fascinating. The highlight of the tour is the disturbing moment when, in front of a small window, we see Ötzi...