Ötzi the Icemanis a 5,300 - year - old glacier mummy discovered back in 1991 in the Ötztal Alps near the Italian - Austrian mete . After thorough interrogation , researchers revealed that the exceptionally well keep up corpse belong to a 45 - year - old male who in all probability died of anarrow to the odd shoulder . IFLScience has antecedently report that he had61 tattoos , was infected withLyme disease , and desoxyribonucleic acid on his eubstance from anoral pathogensuggests he had gum disease . There ’s one very coolheaded matter that we have n’t mentioned yet : Ötzi ’s red blood cell were preserved too , build them the world ’s oldest blood cells ever discovered . Theworkwas published in theJournal of the Royal Society Interfaceback in 2012 .
When investigator first look at Ötzi , they did n’t discover any profligate and assumed that the cell had disintegrated over time within the corpse . It was n’t until they try out using x - shaft of light and CT scanning that the first lead of profligate residue were detected . Hemoglobin , the oxygen - carrying blood metalloprotein , was discovered in a tegument wounding on Ötzi ’s right deal , and hematoma were found around the arrowhead , which was lodged between the rib cage and the odd scapula ( or shoulder blade ) . But until now , no intact descent prison cell have been find .
So , a trio fromLudwig - Maximilians - Universität Münchenexamined a biopsy sample from the stab trauma to the right helping hand and from the arrowhead wound usingspectroscopyand an nuclear personnel microscope , which create 3D paradigm of the incredibly small samples ( fancy above ) . This metre , they successfully identified crimson blood line cells and could even approximate their size and shape . The structure and snap of scarlet blood electric cell can change as a result of disease . And while these ancient erythrocyte were about the same size and Hellenic donut shape of healthy ( but dried ) single , their information show a decrement in hemoglobin , a sign that the cells were degraded .
Furthermore , the squad discover the presence of a blood - clot agent . " Fibrin is formed immediately when you get a wounding , within a few minutes , but then it disappears , ” in a animation , functioning body , anyway , accord to meditate authorAlbert Zink , who also channelise theInstitute for Mummies and the Iceman . He say National Geographic : " Finding fibrin in the pointer wounding is confirmation that Ötzi actually give-up the ghost very speedily after the arrowshot . ”
