(Image Credit: South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology)
Otzi the Iceman, the famous 5,000 year old mummy has several markings in the form of tattoos on his body, which archaeologists now believe may have been used as some form of therapy, as a primitive version of acupuncture.
Acupuncture, which is an ancient treatment for joint distress, has been likened to the tattoo markings on the iceman, as there as several all over his body and mostly on areas that have undergone significant wear and tear, leading researchers to believe the markings have a therapeutic purpose.
U.S. experts Jarrett A. Lobell and Eric A. Powell state in their publication that most of Otzi’s 50 tattoos which consist mainly of lines and crosses, were done by making a small incision in the skin and then rubbing charcoal into them.
‘Because they are all found on parts of the body that show evidence of a lifetime of wear and tear – the ankles, wrists, knees, Achilles tendon, and lower back, for example – it’s thought that Ötzi’s tattoos were therapeutic, not decorative or symbolic,’ they added.
Check out the entire article here at The Daily Mail, with plenty of pics.
