Discovery of Ötzi the Iceman in the Ötztal Alps Location: Feineilspitze, Ötztal Alps (Austria-Italy)
Founding Year of the Border: 1991
Estimated Value: N/A
In September 1991, while trekking in the Ötztal Alps, two German vacationers stumbled upon a body. Upon notifying the authorities, they discovered that the remains were actually those of a natural mummy known as Ötzi, who lived between 3350 and 3105 B.C. Initially, the hikers believed they had found the bones of a climber, but the discovery turned out to be one of the most significant archaeological finds of the 20th century.
Ötzi the Iceman: The Oldest Natural Human Mummy in Europe Source: ©Leopold Nekula via Getty Images
Ötzi the Iceman, named after the location of his discovery in the Ötztal Alps, is currently on display at an Italian museum. He holds the title of the oldest natural human mummy in Europe. Interestingly, an arrowhead found embedded in Ötzi during his exhumation indicates that he did not die of natural causes, suggesting a violent end to his life.
