Seminar to examine oldest known human mummy

The Tyrolean ice man will be discussed at a Brisbane Institute seminar coinciding with National Archaeology Week (May 11–18).

Dr Tom Loy from The University of Queensland`s School of Social Science and Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB) will present Blood on the axe: The Tyrolean ice man at 6pm on May 13 in the Long Room, Customs House, 399 Queen St.

The mummified body of the Copper Age Tyrolean ice man, or Ötzi as he was nicknamed, was discovered a little more than 10 years ago under melting ice and snow on the highest pass in the Tyrolean Alps in Austria.

Found with all his clothing and personal effects, Ötzi is the oldest known human mummy, dating back approximately 5300 years.

As part of an international study group, Dr Loy examined residue on Ötzi’s tools. Combined with historical, ethnographic and archaeological research, the group was able to establish a detailed profile of Ötzi, which will form the basis of Dr Loy’s seminar.

A senior lecturer at UQ, Dr Loy’s current areas of research include the tools of the Italo/Austrian ice man mummy, Hominid tool use at Pliocene/early Pleistocene cave sites in South Africa and Aboriginal use of extinct mega fauna at Cuddy Springs and other Australian sites.

A Reviews Editor of Australian Archaeology, he is also a member of the Australian Archaeological Association and the Society for Archaeological Science (United States).

Tickets to the seminar cost $22 for adults and $11 for concessions. People interested in attending should telephone 07 3220 2198 or email rsvp@brisinst.org.au by May 12.

The Brisbane Institute is an independent forum sponsored by UQ. Further information is available at www.brisinst.org.au For details about National Archaeology Week, visit www.archaeologyweek.com

Media: For further information, contact Dr Loy (telephone 07 3365 4483, 07 3365 4391, email t.loy@imb.uq.edu.au), Dr Kathy Avent from UQ’s Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences (telephone 07 33656774, email research@sbs.uq.edu.au) or Joanne van Zeeland from UQ Communications (telephone 07 3365 2619).