The Ötzi’s clothing was practical and functional. Ötzi’s clothing was made from hide, leather and braided grass, affording him protection from the cold and wet.
Ötzi was fully clothed when he died. His clothing was damaged by wind and weather when the ice melted and was also badly affected by the unorthodox way in which his body was recovered.
His clothing was made solely from leather, hide and braided grass. It was stitched together with animal sinews, grass fibres and tree bast. No wool or woven textile was found. Unfortunately, there are no comparable items from Ötzi’s era, so we don’t know whether he was wearing traditional everyday wear or special clothing. In any case, Ötzi was well prepared for life in the wilderness. His garments, practical and functional, afforded protection from the cold and wet.
otzihut.jpg
A bearskin cap. Pieces of bearskin had been stitched together to form a hemispherical shape. A chin strap held the cap in place
otzi_shoes.jpg
During excavations, Ötzi’s right shoe was found on his foot. Only the netting of the left shoe survived. The shoes are made up of several layers. The inner shoe consists of string netting made from lime tree bast. Dry grass was stuffed under the netting for insulation. The outer shoe was made from deer hide and was stitched onto the sole like the netting. The sole was worn with the fur on the inside. The shoe was tied onto the foot with bast string. Experiments with reconstructed shoes have shown that they are warm and comfortable even on long treks. Although they are very warm they provide little protection from the wet, so presumably the wet grass was simply replaced.
otzi_coatandaxe.jpg
Hide coat and grass mat
Ötzi’s hide coat reached almost down to his knees, covering his upper body and thighs. The coat was made from light and dark strips of goat and sheep hide stitched together with animal sinews. Ötzi wore the coat with the fur on the outside. Unfortunately, the sleeves did not survive. Since no recognisable fasteners were found, the coat was probably held closed with a belt. The coat had been in use for a long time, because the inside was very dirty, and some torn seams had been repaired with grass fibres – probably by Ötzi himself.
otziknife.jpg
