The ancient Alpine traveler known as Otzi, often simply referred to as the Iceman, did not just scrape by on a diet of foraged grasses and berries. Though he perished roughly 5,300 years ago on a mountain in the Eastern Alps of Italy, Otzi died with a belly full of fatty meat, some whole seeds from the einkorn wheat plant and even a bit of goat’s milk or cheese, eaten just a few hours before he died, shows a new comprehensive study. The Iceman may have set off from home with a mobile meal of smoked or dried meat wrapped in a fern.
The Los Angeles Times writes that this goes against the conviction, based on an early analysis of his hair, that Otzi was a vegetarian. There were also traces of herbs, perhaps used to flavor the meat or a bread made from grains found in the analysis of his stomach contents. Close to half of what remained in his stomach was fat from the meats he consumed.
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