Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

World's Oldest Tattoo Written In Soot

Posted by samzenpus on from the Hauslabjoch-ink dept.

ewenc writes "A series of tattoos belonging to Otzi the 5300 year-old Tyrolean Iceman are made of soot, reports New Scientist. Mountain climbers discovered Otzi's mummified body in the Austrian-Italian alps in 1991. What's left of his skin was littered with simple cross and line markings. Electron microscopy and spectroscopy now show that Otzi's tats are made of double-bonded carbon indicative of soot, as well as silicate crystals that probably came from rocks surrounding a fire pit."

4 of 68 comments (clear)

  1. Re:But what about.... by kromozone · · Score: 4, Informative

    All comments from before 1999/01/01 have been deleted. The first post on 1999/01/01, still in the archive is; Anonymous Coward on Friday January 01 1999, @05:15PM (#2049871) I agree, that really boiled my blood. I saw the new layout this morning, I thought it was pretty damn cool looking.

  2. He Later Proclaimed by Master+Moose · · Score: 5, Funny

    .. That he only intended getting three, but there was a language barrier between himself and the tattooist. he would have stopped more marks being made but he later fell asleep during the proceedure

    --
    . . .gone when the morning comes
  3. Re:Acupunture points. by IICV · · Score: 4, Insightful

    According to Wikipedia, there's about 360 acupuncture points. According to the article, the guy's skin was "littered with tattoos".

    Birthday paradox, anyone?

  4. Upon further study... by Oscar_Wilde · · Score: 4, Funny

    What's left of his skin was littered with simple cross and line markings.
     
    ... upon closer inspection the scientists determined this to be Chinese writing which says "Forever Protector of Old Ladies". Work to locate the man's Facebook profile and collection of popped collar shirts is continuing.

    Now back to you in the studio, Dave.