Otzi the Iceman's final meal was meat-rich and included fern leaves

[Northerner]

Scientists have discovered the last meal eaten by a frozen hunter who died 5,300 years ago in the Alps.

The stomach contents of the world's oldest mummy, known as Otzi the Iceman, provide a glimpse of what ancient Europeans ate more than five millennia ago, researchers said.

The stomach contained the fat and meat of a wild goat, red deer meat and wholewheat seeds, the journal Current Biology said.

Traces of fern leaves and spores were also discovered in Otzi's stomach.

https://news.sky.com/story/otzi-the...s-meat-rich-and-included-fern-leaves-11435742

I reckon it was the fern leaves that did for him 😱 😉

 

[Robin]

Scientists have discovered the last meal eaten by a frozen hunter who died 5,300 years ago in the Alps.

The stomach contents of the world's oldest mummy, known as Otzi the Iceman, provide a glimpse of what ancient Europeans ate more than five millennia ago, researchers said.

The stomach contained the fat and meat of a wild goat, red deer meat and wholewheat seeds, the journal Current Biology said.

Traces of fern leaves and spores were also discovered in Otzi's stomach.

https://news.sky.com/story/otzi-the...s-meat-rich-and-included-fern-leaves-11435742

I reckon it was the fern leaves that did for him 😱 😉

I was discussing this with OH. Apparently Otzi's arteries were badly furred up. We were speculating that Public Health England would blame this on the fat, and LCHF supporters would blame the grain. 😉

 

[mikeyB]

And I’ve seen suggestions that the fern leaves (and bramble that was found in his stomach) which are both toxic in large amounts, were standard self treatment for intestinal worms. Most of the stuff found in the stomach was goat fat, a high energy boost for his alpine journey.

You might say it’s a good job he didn’t smoke, but then health concerns come to nothing when you get skewered by an arrow.