Ötzi the Iceman: A 5,000-Year-Old True Crime Murder Mystery | Full Documentary | NOVA | PBS
Watch as Ötzi, a 5000-year-old mummy, is brought to life and preserved with 3D modeling.
(Aired February 17, 2016)
Official Website: https://to.pbs.org/3vIJgGb | #novapbs
He was stalked, attacked and left to die alone. Murdered more than 5,000 years ago, Otzi the Iceman is Europe’s oldest known natural mummy. Miraculously preserved in glacial ice, his remarkably intact remains continue to provide scientists, historians, and archeologists with groundbreaking discoveries about a crucial time in human history. But in order to protect him from contamination, this extraordinary body has been locked away, out of reach, in a frozen crypt—until now. NOVA joins renowned artist and paleo-sculptor Gary Staab as he has been granted rare access into the Iceman’s frozen lair. Gary has been charged with creating an exact replica of the mummy, which scientists and the public alike can then study up close and in person. As we see the Iceman reborn from 3D printing, resin, clay and paint, new revelations about Otzi’s life and legacy come to light, including surprising secrets hidden in his genetic code.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction
07:16 3D Printing Model of Otzi the Iceman
13:55 Who Was Otzi the Iceman?
17:24 Sculpting Otzi the Iceman’s Skin
24:13 How Are Mummies Preserved?
28:14 Otzi the Iceman’s Tattoos
33:58 The Significance of Mushrooms Carried by Otzi
36:22 Final Details of Otzi the Iceman Sculpture
38:04 Analyzing Otzi’s Genetic Code
48:34 Conclusion
© 2016 WGBH Educational Foundation
All rights reserved
This program was produced by GBH, which is solely responsible for its content.
This program is made possible by viewers like you. Support your local PBS station here: https://pbs.org/donate/
Enjoy full episodes of your favorite PBS shows anytime, anywhere with the free PBS App: https://to.pbs.org/2QbtzhR
Stay up to date on the latest science discoveries, full episodes, articles, videos, and more by signing up for NOVA’s newsletter here: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/newsletter/
FOLLOW US:
NOVA
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/novaonline
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NOVApbs
Twitter: https://twitter.com/novapbs
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/novapbs/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@novapbs
PBS
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PBS/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PBS/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/PBS/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/PBS/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@pbs
Shop: https://shop.pbs.org/
#mummy #otzi #novapbs #documentary
Otzi the iceman, ötzi the iceman, otzi the iceman tattoos, otzi mummy, where was otzi found, how did otzi die, what does otzi look like, how many tattos did otzi have, mummy
@TuânNguyễn-l7j8q
August 25, 2025 at 3:53 am
Otzi never thought that over 5000 years later he was going to be famous and in a museum!!! Not bad Otzi!!!
@lordofchaosinc.261
August 25, 2025 at 3:53 am
Between the time when the oceans drank Atlantis and the rise of the sons of Aryas, there was an age undreamed of.
@iPeter-c3s
August 25, 2025 at 3:53 am
he died with covid
@emanuel82
August 25, 2025 at 3:53 am
It really look like he took a massive blow on the back of his head.
@Trinitrophenylmethylnitramines
August 25, 2025 at 3:53 am
The coolest dead guy in the world 😭
@tamas5931
August 25, 2025 at 3:53 am
He's pronouncing it Ootzi
@TomLockhardt
August 25, 2025 at 3:53 am
5000 YEARS HUH?….HOW OLD ARE THOSE ANCIENT SCRIPTURES AGAIN?……I guess this proves the Bible is nothing more than an excuse for Peter popoff, joel osteen and great grandfather pope to be worshipped among human as a god……LOL IT MAKES SENSE NOW!!! "THE PROPHETS WHO PROFIT"!!!!!!! 😂😂😂😂😂
@lovelymelly54
August 25, 2025 at 3:53 am
5000yrs is impossible
@roberbrazo3662
August 25, 2025 at 3:53 am
I love how they show his quiver and long bow then two minutes later can we see if he was a farmer or hunter ?
@Oculoustuos
August 25, 2025 at 3:53 am
Can't the specimen be done to reflect how Ötzi appeared prior to his death, as he was in a healthy state? I'd like to see Ötzi as he likely appeared the day before he was killed.
@Heshem_Joel
August 25, 2025 at 3:53 am
Are they going to identify his killer?.
@voxel23
August 25, 2025 at 3:53 am
Plastic fake body better than full body MRI scan? Hard to believe.
@MoMorgana12
August 25, 2025 at 3:53 am
The blatant disrespect of the dead is appalling. They were so violent with him….
@stephenberson7236
August 25, 2025 at 3:53 am
I cant believe Nova is so narrow mended to believe Otzi had to be either a hunter gatherer or a farmer. it is most likely a village had both farmers and hunter gatherers for meat.
@AJ24999
August 25, 2025 at 3:53 am
He was my relative! My gand grand gand gand grand…and so on uncle.
@maribooks89
August 25, 2025 at 3:53 am
2:54 stepping on him, wtf??
@t3knosoulz
August 25, 2025 at 3:53 am
I deal with chronic pain, and I knew immediately those tattoos were for some kind of pain management. Out of everything I've learned about poor Otzi, this is what made him the most relatable to me. He must've been in so much pain that he'd prefer the tattoos. I bet they felt great in comparison based on how many he had.
@vctor6768
August 25, 2025 at 3:53 am
And when alliens do such things to us like abducting and examing our bodies we complain of allien abduction…😂
@saigonmonopoly1105
August 25, 2025 at 3:53 am
did you meet cainabel and have dinner Tbone and venison god dam madison
@heroosrs
August 25, 2025 at 3:53 am
why he hittin that dab tho… grandpa swag
@twocents777
August 25, 2025 at 3:53 am
5,000-year-old huh? I'm pretty sure I have stuff older than that in the back of my freezer.
@christineprice8108
August 25, 2025 at 3:53 am
Amazing ! Loved it
@ChoseBin-z5i
August 25, 2025 at 3:53 am
Otzi Osbourne, il vient juste de mourir et dans un sale état sur la photo. Il devait être vraiment malade !
@SamathaPeavey
August 25, 2025 at 3:53 am
Fascinating true crime mystery of Ötzi the Iceman solved brilliantly
@cherylsterrenburg2186
August 25, 2025 at 3:53 am
It will never cease to amaze me how if we don't have evidence something was used before (or seen before) we automatically assume we are 'the first' . . seems quite arrogant to me
@VintageSeikosNL
August 25, 2025 at 3:53 am
Oootzi…? Can’t be bothered to check that it is pronounced Utzi – no not as in U-boat (but americans pronounce that wrong too) but as in “uh oh, look at that chear leader”.. There, explained it in americanese. Still, there is an even more subtle change needed to get from this sound to the actual sound. But it would be too much for the average red neck
@akiali2632
August 25, 2025 at 3:53 am
If he froze soon after dying wudn his flesh n fat remain as they were? Like wen we freeze meat. Does that mean he was starving wen he died?
Or do all bodies dry to skin n bone only? Wot happened to fat n flesh?
@cyc4usa706
August 25, 2025 at 3:53 am
The most studied CORPSE in history…. not human being. Not by a long shot.
@chrisgiles40
August 25, 2025 at 3:53 am
My only query is didn’t everyone have bad knees/legs around that age back in them days, everyone was on foot whether you was a traveller/hunter/gather/farmer. Plus why did he still have all his gear, I’m assuming 5000+ years ago dying on a mountain from an arrow, wouldn’t he have been looted if the arrow was the cause of death. Waste not want not back in them days. These are only questions in my mind.
Comments are closed.